TUC Report of Congress 2014 370.46 KB
Report of Congress 2014
The 146th Annual Trades Union Congress 7–10 September 2014, Liverpool
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Contents
General Council members 2014–2015 ...... 3
Section 1: Congress decisions ...... 4 Part 1: Resolutions carried ...... 5 Part 2: Motions lost ...... 39 Part 3: General Council statements ...... 40
Section 2: Keynote Speeches ...... 43 Frances O’Grady ...... 44 Mohammad Taj ...... 48 Mark Carney ...... 50 Chuka Umunna MP ...... 55
Section 3: Unions and their delegates ...... 58
Section 4: Details of past Congresses ...... 70
Section 5: Members of the General Council, 1921-2014 ...... 74
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General Council members 2014–2015
Sheila Bearcroft MBE Steve Gillan Sean McGovern John Smith GMB POA Unite Musicians’ Union Christine Blower Janice Godrich Lesley Mercer Liz Snape MBE National Union of Public and Commercial Chartered Society of UNISON Teachers Services Union Physiotherapy Michelle Stanistreet Mary Bousted John Hannett Gloria Mills CBE National Union of Association of Teachers Union of Shop, UNISON Journalists and Lecturers Distributive and Allied Steve Murphy Jane Stewart Workers Joanna Brown Union of Construction, Unite Society of Chiropodists Dave Harvey Allied Trades and Patricia Stuart and Podiatrists National Union of Technicians Unite Teachers Tony Burke Ged Nichols Niamh Sweeney Unite Billy Hayes Accord Association of Teachers Communication Jane Carolan Christine Payne and Lecturers Workers Union UNISON Equity Mohammad Taj Sally Hunt Gail Cartmail Dave Penman Unite University and College Unite FDA Union Chris Tansley Mike Clancy Peter Pinkney UNISON Karen Jennings Prospect National Union of Rail, UNISON Steve Turner Maritime and Transport Brian Cookson Unite Tony Kearns Workers NASUWT Communication Simon Weller Tim Poil Manuel Cortes Workers Union Associated Society of Nationwide Group Staff Transport Salaried Locomotive Engineers Chris Keates Union Staffs’ Association and Firemen NASUWT Dave Prentis Tony Dale Fiona Wilson Paul Kenny UNISON Union of Shop, Union of Shop, GMB Distributive and Allied Roy Rickhuss Distributive and Allied Workers Leslie Manasseh MBE Community Workers (chair) Mark Dickinson Malcolm Sage Tony Woodhouse Prospect Nautilus International GMB Unite Sue Mather Maria Exall Eddie Saville Matt Wrack Community Communication Hospital Consultants Fire Brigades’ Workers Union Fern McCaffrey and Specialists’ Union GMB Association Sue Ferns Frances O’Grady Prospect Paul McCarthy Mark Serwotka TUC General Secretary GMB Public and Commercial Larry Flanagan Services Union Educational Institute of Len McCluskey Scotland Unite Eleanor Smith UNISON
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Section 1 Congress decisions
Listed below are the decisions taken by the 2014 Trades Union Congress on the motions and amendments submitted by unions, together with the General Council statements adopted by Congress. The numbers given to resolutions and motions refer to their number in the Final Agenda, or to that of the Composite or Emergency Motion.
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Congress believes that attacks on pay, jobs, Part 1 working conditions and public services is not as Resolutions carried a result of immigrants but of government attacks, in line with their austerity agenda. Congress rejects the government’s racist 3 Child poverty and the cost of Immigration Bill which will significantly reduce education the right of appeal against deportation and Congress deplores the coalition government’s compels landlords, public and private sector ideologically driven economic and social policies staff to police the immigration status of tenants that have led to an unacceptable rise in child and service users. This undermines the right to poverty and homelessness since 2010. family life enshrined in the Human Rights Act. Congress further deplores the failure of the Congress applauds the work of Movement coalition government to secure progress Against Xenophobia (MAX) in opposing the towards meeting the national targets under the Immigration Bill. Child Poverty Act 2010 and notes that, instead: Congress calls on the TUC Race Relations i. levels of child poverty are set to increase Committee and affiliates to campaign in by over one million as a direct result of opposition to the Immigration Bill, to include: the policies of the coalition government i. calling on all constituency MPs to ii. many thousands of children are coming oppose the bill to school hungry because of the ii. calling on the Labour Party to give a coalition government’s welfare policies. commitment to repeal the Bill Congress is deeply concerned by research that iii. supporting and joining the MAX confirms that the cost of living crisis is impacting campaign on children and young people’s access to iv. opposing and dispelling myths and lies education. spread about migrants as part of wider Congress is further concerned by the coalition anti-austerity and anti-cuts campaigns. government’s reforms that give schools freedom TUC Black Workers’ Conference to apply financial charges for educational provision and ‘optional extras’, which is 15 Onshoring resulting in access to education increasingly Congress welcomes the increasing prevalence of being on the basis of parents’ ability to pay. onshoring – particularly in the textiles sector – Congress calls on the General Council to take with some studies indicating one in six UK urgent action to press the main political parties manufacturers intend to bring production back to make a manifesto commitment to: from overseas, far exceeding the number a. end child poverty by 2020 planning to move jobs abroad. Congress notes b. require all public sector bodies and the recent PwC report, which forecasts that bodies in receipt of public funding to onshoring could lead to the creation of up to advance equality for children and young 200,000 new UK jobs over the next decade. people from low-income backgrounds Congress further notes that a significant c. remove the freedom for state-funded proportion of these jobs are expected to be schools to charge for education and concentrated in manufacturing and some impose statutory standards on schools traditional industries such as textiles, and as charging for ‘optional extras’. such will make an important contribution to NASUWT rebalancing the economy away from financial services and London. 13 Immigration Bill Congress recognises that onshoring should Congress notes the positive contribution made present trade unions with huge opportunities in by migrant communities to the UK. It rejects the terms of organising new workplaces and supply myths and lies spread by the coalition chains and that trade unions must be ready to government and some media that has led to an organise effectively and represent these new increase in racist abuse and attacks. groups of workers. Congress acknowledges the paramount importance of ensuring these new 5
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jobs are good jobs; it remembers Rana Plaza and the sector taking the lead with our support.” jobs onshored must not undercut existing One of the BBC’s stated aims is to “advance employment or standards at work. Congress equal opportunities to diversify and develop our recognises that the General Council must workforce and our senior leaders so that they campaign for policies to encourage future better reflect our audiences.” onshoring but also, crucially, to ensure our Yet our stages and screens utterly fail to existing industries and jobs are sustainable and reflect the full diversity and gender balance of remain on our shores. the UK’s population and workforce. Therefore, Congress calls on the TUC to Congress welcomes ACE’s recent campaign for UK government policies that announcement that it will require equality support onshoring through sustainable monitoring of performer employment as part of employment, the promotion of UK industrial the funding process. It is incumbent upon all supply chains and increased investment in skills organisations subject to the Public Sector and Apprenticeships. Equality Duty and in receipt of large sums of Community public money to undertake equality monitoring. Congress believes that it is unacceptable that broadcasters have over the years failed to 16 British shipping undertake or transparently publish Congress reaffirms its opposition to the comprehensive on-screen equality monitoring spending cuts imposed on the Maritime & data. How can arts organisations or Coastguard Agency (MCA) and notes with broadcasters meaningfully promote equal continuing concern the detrimental effect on opportunities in the absence of this data? shipping safety that is arising from reduced Congress calls on the General Council to resources and staffing. support Equity’s campaign to secure a Congress notes with alarm recent internal commitment from all Arts Councils, Creative documentation suggesting that the MCA could, Scotland, public service television broadcasters within five to 10 years, lose the capacity to fulfill and Ofcom- licensed commercial television its international obligations to maintain safety broadcasters to: on domestic ships and vessels visiting UK ports. i. equality monitoring of performers and Furthermore, Congress calls upon the TUC to creative teams actively support the concerned unions in ii. the transparent publication of equality resisting attempts to delegate further MCA monitoring data. work to outside bodies such as the Classification Equity Societies and resist the Agency’s declared strategy of moving to minimum international standards in an attempt to compete with other 19 The future of local newspapers registers such as flags of convenience, as Congress notes the continuing crisis in local opposed to ensuring that the UK maintains a newspapers: high quality ship register dedicated to safety of i. more than 140 newspapers closed since life at sea, the protection of the marine March 2011 environment, the highest standards of ii. local, paid-for daily newspapers losing competence and decent working conditions for subscribers at 14 per cent a year and all those working onboard British registered weeklies by eight per cent vessels and globally. iii. advertising revenues predicted to fall by Nautilus International more than eight per cent this year iv. a quarter of local government areas not covered by a daily local newspaper 18 Equality monitoring in the v. a further 35 per cent covered by only creative industries one daily newspaper, with three On its website, Arts Council England (ACE) quarters of these monopolies controlled states: “We will forge a new relationship with by just three companies – Newsquest, the arts sector on issues of diversity and Trinity Mirror and Local World. equality, characterised by shared discourse and
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Local newspaper owners are attempting to music venue, it would be the property fill their papers with free copy and photographs developer’s legal and financial responsibility to submitted by readers whilst struggling to service use sound-proofing to prevent any debts incurred by ill-judged acquisition inconvenience to the residents and the music strategies. Short-term management strategies venue bears no responsibility, other than to aimed at protecting shareholder value are continue to operate within the terms of their achieving the opposite, with huge cuts in staff existing licence. numbers, unacceptable workloads and stress, Congress calls on the General Council to and insufficient investment in digital services, support the MU’s calls for a change in the law to threatening the long-term future of the protect music venues. industry. Musicians’ Union Congress recognises the efforts of the NUJ in defending jobs and quality journalism – journalism that provides entertainment, holds 21 Collective and sectoral bargaining local politicians and businesses to account, and Congress recognises with alarm that: supplies vital community information. i. workers are suffering the longest Congress calls on the General Council and decline in living standards since the affiliates to support a campaign for a 1870s government-commissioned inquiry into the ii. the wages share of GDP has fallen from future of local newspapers, to consider new 66 per cent in 1975 to 54 per cent today models of ownership and how newspapers can iii. collective bargaining coverage over the be protected as community assets, limiting same period has fallen from 83 per cent owners’ ability to close publications overnight to 22 per cent and allowing time for consultation to protect iv. personal debt and the use of PDLs has their future. Congress reaffirms its commitment exploded as workers borrow more to to campaigning for reform of newspaper compensate for inadequate wages ownership, greater plurality and a more diverse v. in-work benefits subsidising low-wage press. employers are increasing. National Union of Journalists Congress believes that increasing wage share of GDP is a central element of sustainable economic growth and that collective bargaining 20 Venues under threat between unions and employers or employers’ The MU and its members are concerned about a associations and stronger trade unions delivers a worrying trend of long-established music venues more just, equal and fair society, protecting being forced to close after only one or two workers and reducing poverty. complaints from neighbours, which often result Sector-level bargaining provides a mechanism in the issuing of noise abatement notices from through which wages and conditions can be the local authority. established for all workers, as well as other This is becoming more problematic as a result matters of strategic importance, such as training of the increasing numbers of new flats and and skills. houses being built in the vicinity of existing Congress condemns the government’s music venues. New residents are often unaware abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board for of the music venue when they purchase the England and Wales as a further ideological property and then put in noise complaints. attack on collective bargaining. Congress would like to see the introduction Congress applauds the Britain Needs a Pay of an ‘Agent of Change Principle’ law, such as Rise campaign, welcomes the General Council’s that in Australia, which would put the legal campaign to support and promote collective responsibility of remedying any issues on to the bargaining and calls on the General Council to person or persons who have brought about the develop the campaign further to: changes that inadvertently affect an individual’s a. establish sector-level mechanisms that business. ensure collective bargaining is re- Under this law, in the case of a property established across core sectors of the developer building homes in the vicinity of a economy, including agriculture 7
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b. provide for full compliance, monitoring minimum wage provisions and work permit and enforcement of agreements requirements – and for Europe to agree a c. promote the extension of sector directive upholding the principle of decent agreements through contract conditions on ferries running intra-EU services. compliance within supply chains and in Congress also urges the TUC to link up with the public procurement of goods and ICTU with a view to joint campaigns to support services. the maritime unions’ objectives of decent pay Unite for all seafarers and specifically those engaged on vessels serving the Irish Sea routes. Nautilus International 25 £10 minimum wage Congress agrees that the General Council campaigns for a minimum wage of £10 per hour 36 A new model for school inspection for all workers. This would lift five million Congress notes the excessive stress and strain people out of in-work poverty. Currently the placed upon the education workforce by benefits system is used to prop up low pay and Ofsted’s inspection regime and is concerned to bail out exploitative employers. that the inspectorate is subject to political Raising the minimum a worker can be paid to interference and is the enforcer of government £10 per hour would significantly reduce policy, aiding – for example – the academisation pressure on the benefits system, freeing up of state schools. Congress believes Ofsted has no funds for much-needed investment in the NHS, adequate systems to achieve consistency education and other welfare programmes. between inspections, undermines attempts at While Congress realises some employers school improvement and risks children’s would claim not to be able to pay £10, Congress education. believes the government should means-test School and college accountability is them by reviewing company profits, bonuses important. Congress believes that education paid to senior executives and dividends paid to would be best served by less pressured, local shareholders to ensure they are not out of line inspection systems, quality assured by a national with employee rates of pay. body and using up-to-date experience of Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union classroom teaching and best practice inspection. By being implemented locally, with the involvement of current classroom teachers, 27 Ferry standards inspection judgments would be respected, Congress notes with concern the evidence unique school circumstances better understood, showing significant levels of substandard pay and improvement plans would be relevant and and conditions for many workers on ferries effectively supported. operating in and out of British ports. Congress Congress calls on the TUC to bring together also notes the recent plans by one leading education, inspection and improvement operator employing hundreds of British and professionals to develop a new model for Irish seafarers to seek drastic cuts in the working school, college and early years inspection and conditions of its seafarers on Irish Sea services, improvement, which capitalises on the talents claiming that it needed to compete with each can bring and is based upon the principles operators using low-cost foreign crews and in of: violation of minimum wage legislation. i. independence from ministerial and Congress therefore recognises the danger of a private sector interests race to the bottom for jobs and conditions in ii. collaboration and support the ferry industry and the threat that such iii. valuing professional expertise and developments pose to the recruitment and professional empowerment retention of British seafarers. iv. mutual respect between inspectors and Congress urges the TUC to support the inspected campaigns by the maritime unions for the v. fairness, consistency and transparency in government to act urgently to protect standards making judgments, collating on ships operating services in and out of British stakeholder perceptions, and dealing ports – including enforcement of national 8
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with complaints against both schools The reason for this is not only physical and the inspection process. barriers including location of clinics and ATL clinicians but because the criteria for accessing podiatry and other NHS services are changing. The consequences of delays or not accessing 37 Post-16 education for all podiatric treatment can be catastrophic to Congress notes that public investment in patients. Loss of limbs or loss of life in extreme further, higher and adult education is essential circumstances is not uncommon but almost for the UK’s social and economic future and that entirely preventable if services are accessed at a clear link exists between the conditions of an early stage. work for staff and the quality of provision. The financial impact to the UK economy, Congress therefore deplores the high patients and their families runs into many incidence across this vital sector of casualised millions of pounds due to this lack of access to employment including zero-hours contracts; treatment – treatment for what are largely widespread job insecurity and redundancies preventable conditions that can cause family among teachers and researchers; and taxpayer- income to be drastically reduced which increases subsidised privatisation of FE and HE provision, poverty and hardship, especially within the most and utterly rejects recent dog-whistle moves by vulnerable groups of our society. both the Tories and Labour towards compulsion Congress therefore calls on the TUC and the and benefit loss as the answer to youth wider trade union movement to campaign to unemployment. highlight the issues of access criteria to services Congress instructs the General Council to and the location of services, within the All highlight the importance of post-16 education Together for the NHS campaign and wider in the run-up to the general election, raise the public sector campaigns. These campaigns issues of job losses and casualisation at every should be backed up by research that examines opportunity and argue for a genuine, attractive access to service and criteria issues and the and properly funded education and training effects that lack of access has on patients, the offer for all young adults rather than economy and levels of poverty within the UK. compulsion. Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists University and College Union
The following amendment was ACCEPTED by The following amendment was ACCEPTED by the mover: the mover: Add new final paragraph: Insert new paragraph 3: “Congress is also concerned that those with “Congress believes that the government must mental impairments are particularly also focus on the continuing need for disadvantaged in accessing NHS services and Apprenticeships across industry. Apprenticeships calls on the General Council to actively work form a vital part of the solution to the UK’s with all relevant mental health charities, e.g. future skills challenge, skills providing the MIND and others with proven expertise in this country with the key to greater productivity. area.” Union-negotiated training agreements could Society of Radiographers facilitate wider uptake of Apprenticeships.” Unite 42 Bullying in the NHS As bullying persists, whistle-blowers are silenced 41 Access to NHS services for and the culture of fear in the NHS continues. vulnerable people The Secretary of State is failing in his duty to Congress is concerned that within the current care for the carers. Day after day, hospital trend of service reorganisations and redesigns consultants and specialists are having to cope the most vulnerable people within our with and face up to the stresses of workplace communities are experiencing increasing bullying. difficulties in accessing NHS services that they Congress knows that bullying in the NHS need, including podiatry. starts from the very top, and works its way 9
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down the many chains of command. In its wake We may only realise the impact of these cuts it creates intolerable anxiety levels, relationship when it is too late. breakdowns, mental health issues and eventual Congress calls on the General Council to press burn out. Throughout this journey patient care the government to increase financial investment is bound to be affected, yet the consequences of in heritage, culture and the arts. reporting bullying behaviour and raising Prospect concerns can be a step too far for many. They may worry that the culture of fear, common in so many NHS institutions, will lead to even more 46 Oppose the privatisation of victimisation, isolation and in many cases children’s services disciplinary action. Congress is appalled at the government- While we all know the saying we should proposed wholesale privatisation of children’s “stand up to bullies” the reality in the NHS is services. Decisions about vulnerable children, that if you do, you might lose your job or even including removing them from their families, worse, career. Report after report has exposed are some of the most difficult and sensitive ones bullying cultures in NHS organisations over the that child protection professionals have to make years but still it exists. Congress calls on the yet Michael Gove considered this work could be General Council to work with affiliates in the outsourced for profit. NHS to campaign actively to expose bullying in Congress believes establishing a market in the NHS, to conduct a detailed piece of research child protection would create perverse into workplace bullying in the NHS and to incentives for private companies to either take report its findings and conclusions in 2015. more children into care or leave too many living Hospital Consultants and Specialists within dangerous families. Association Napo is already witnessing the chaos, confusion and increased risks arising from government efforts to privatise a huge part of 43 Heritage in a cold climate the probation service despite the work and the Congress recognises and celebrates the positive staff being awarded the gold standard for contribution employees working in heritage, service provision. The government repeated the arts and culture have on the UK. The sector same argument about private companies provides jobs, stimulates the economy, supports providing children’s services to “encourage tourism, and improves well-being and social innovation and improve outcomes for children”. inclusion. Whilst pre-election considerations and i Twenty per cent of those who visit museums immediate campaigning by Napo and others in are more likely to report good health. the sector contributed to these plans being put ii A report by the Department for Culture, on hold for now, Congress must be vigilant and Media and Sport concluded that cultural ready if they re-emerge post an election. participation had a monetary value of Congress calls on the TUC to mount a around £90 per month, per person. concerted campaign against any proposals to iii An Oxford Economics investigation privatise children’s services by: concluded that for every £1 invested in i. alerting parliament to the dangers to culture and heritage, £5 is delivered back in children, families, and communities value to society. inherent in proposals that see iv Visits to museums, galleries and heritages vulnerable children and families sites in the UK are increasing. exploited for financial gain v Support for public funding is rising sharply ii. ensuring that resources continue to be (from 49 per cent in 2012 to 56 per cent in directed at providing good public 2013 according to the Arts Council). services for children and families on a And yet, government funding to these ‘not for profit’ basis. organisations has been decimated in recent Napo years resulting in pay stagnation, the loss of skills and expertise in many areas, and reduced community activities. Morale is worryingly low. The following amendment was ACCEPTED by the mover: 10
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Insert new paragraph 3: impact on the ability of local authorities to be “Congress asserts that such plans lack any able to provide high quality specialist children’s evidence base. The government claims to have services. listened to concerns, but has left the back door Association of Educational Psychologists open for profit-making companies to set up non-profit subsidiaries. Any outsourcing of these sensitive functions will cause problems of 48 Valuing diversity – developing fragmentation and diluted accountability.” talent In existing paragraph 4, line 4, delete “put on Congress recognises that citizens should rightly hold for now” and replace with “limited to non- expect those who manage and deliver public profit organisations” services to reflect the diverse population they UNISON serve. A public service that does so – from the civil servants who draft policy to those delivering frontline services - is more likely to 47 Empowering the voice of young understand and address the needs of the public people it serves. The pace and volume of education reform Congress welcomes the positive role that places enormous pressure on local authorities to trade unions can play in this objective, as respond to change whilst maintaining necessary evidenced by the FDA’s public sector mentoring services for children and families. The projected scheme, which matched undergraduates from reduction in government funding in the period diverse backgrounds with graduates on the civil 2014–2018 compromises local authorities’ service management development programme, abilities to provide these key services. the Fast Stream. This project delivered key The implementation of the Children and mentoring opportunities for Fast Stream Families Act this month will create yet more graduates, helped support undergraduates as responsibilities and duties for local authorities. they considered their future career options and Whilst broadly supportive of the reforms encouraged a more diverse pool of applicants to within the Act Congress fears that there are the Fast Stream, which remains a high quality insufficient resources to deliver its many and much sought after development scheme. intended changes. Congress recognises that more must be done Involving children and young people in their – particularly at senior levels – to ensure that own learning, education and decision-making is public services genuinely reflect the broader a key element of the new Act and underlines population, but rejects crude targets and the commitment to be ambitious for children definitions that are more about soundbite with additional needs and for those suffering politics rather than a genuine commitment to from the consequences of poverty and social diversity. exclusion. Congress calls on the government to invest in Congress believes educational psychologists a long-term integrated talent pathway for help to understand children’s behaviour, public servants – from Apprenticeships through interpreting and responding to their ideas and to the most senior levels, including graduate views, whilst supporting other professionals in development programmes – that genuinely early years, schools, colleges and other settings supports the promotion of talent and ensures to embed this into their everyday practice, equality of opportunity. particularly when conducting the person- FDA centred assessment, planning and review procedures demanded by the Children and Families Act. The continuing decrease in funding 49 Floods and climate change for specialist support services threatens to The winter of 2013–2014 was the wettest on undermine this work. record with around 8,000 homes and 3,000 Congress believes that all children have a commercial properties flooded. right to have their voices heard and will Congress applauds the tremendous work continue to work to reverse the government’s carried out by firefighters and paramedics, austerity programme, not least because of its Environment Agency and other civil servants, 11
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water and other utility workers, local standard bearer for the audio-visual sector in government and transport workers, and many terms of jobs, production values, quality and others who provided support and assistance to innovation only because of its unique source of those affected. licence fee funding. Congress notes that nearly 7,000 incidents Congress further believes that the BBC’s and around 2,000 rescues were recorded by fire scope, scale, remit and commitment to high and rescue services across the UK, although this quality original output protects the audience underestimates the true extent of emergency from declining standards and from broadcasting work carried out. companies who would prefer to feed the Congress also notes the hollow government audience drama imports mainly from the USA or promise that “money is no object” in flood home-grown reality shows which cost little to recovery, particularly in the light of ongoing purchase or produce. cuts and job losses to vital sectors engaged with Congress notes with alarm the increasingly flooding and other emergency work. emboldened anti-BBC lobby whose aim is the Congress further notes the growing risks of break-up and sell-off of the BBC and its publicly climate change, as set out by scientists and owned assets to the private sector. other professionals in the fifth IPCC report. Congress calls on the General Council, in the Increased greenhouse gas emissions, arising lead-up to BBC Charter renewal in 2016, to largely from human activity in businesses, support the Federation of Entertainment organisations and workplaces across the globe, Unions’ campaign to defend both the principle are already affecting the climate. of public service broadcasting and also the BBC Congress calls on the government to reverse as the UK’s primary public service broadcaster all cuts to flood resilience, from flood defence funded by the licence fee. to emergency response, and to implement the Equity Pitt Review recommendations in full, including a statutory duty on the fire and rescue service to respond to major flooding. Congress calls on the 53 Resisting the attack on disabled Labour Party to actively support these measures. people Congress further calls on affiliates and union Congress deplores the government’s continuing reps to integrate extreme weather and climate assault on disabled people. The “reform” of adaptation plans into collective bargaining. welfare benefits means: Fire Brigades’ Union i. the continuation of the Work Capability Assessments administered by ATOS for the DWP, leading to many wrong The following amendment was ACCEPTED by decisions and significant loss of benefits the mover: for many disabled people unable to In paragraph 6, add at end: work “, introduce statutory rights for workplace ii. the change from Disability Living environmental representatives and reverse cuts Allowance to Personal Independence in Defra, DECC and the Environmental Agency. Payment designed explicitly to remove Congress agrees to continue to consult TUC payments from thousands of disabled affiliates about a just transition to a low-carbon people economy, including a moratorium on extreme iii. the impact of the ‘bedroom tax’, cuts in energy such as shale gas extraction (fracking).” legal aid, the cap on housing benefit Public and Commercial Services Union and many other cuts on people already living on the breadline 52 Defending the BBC iv. the closure of Remploy factories leaving Congress believes that an independent and disabled people previously employed in well-funded BBC is the bedrock of public service properly paid manufacturing jobs broadcasting in the UK. Congress also believes without work. that the BBC is able to produce the breadth and Congress condemns the government’s diversity of output across television, radio and imposition of a cap on welfare benefits and the digital services that it does today and to act as a Labour leadership’s support for this; and 12
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congratulates those Labour MPs who voted childcare element of tax credits and is far less against it. than the total investment made by this Congress welcomes the campaigning by government in childcare relief for higher disabled people themselves against these earners. According to the Resolution attacks, congratulates Disabled People Against Foundation, under Universal Credit, a part-time the Cuts (DPAC) for its high-profile activities and cleaner with two children in childcare and its solidarity with Remploy workers, and calls on working 25 hours a week would be £7 a week the TUC to: worse off than if she didn’t work at all. a. highlight the negative impact of The “cost’’ of childcare is likely to be a high government policy on disabled people profile discussion in the run-up to general both in and out of work election. Congress opposes the proposals in the b. encourage trade union branches to give “More Great Childcare’’ consultation to weaken active support to local campaigns by safeguarding requirements and change adult- disabled people, especially those led by child ratios, to narrow training opportunities disabled people themselves and career paths for the least qualified parts of c. lobby the Labour Party to reverse these this workforce and discourage investment in measures when in government. staff and to create a group of EY ‘teachers’, who TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference are not qualified teachers, to make them cheaper to employ. Congress celebrates the co-ordination 54 Childcare between trade unionists, women’s rights groups Lack of affordable childcare is the most and early years education experts to achieve a U persistent and disproportionate financial turn on the adult: child ratios. Congress asserts disadvantage that women workers face, that affordability must be achieved through particularly single parents, 90 per cent of whom increasing wages for working parents, are women. The stagnant gender pay gap is in increasing employer contributions to childcare no small part due to the high costs of childcare costs and public investment. in the UK, and the reliance of women workers Congress calls for a national debate about on low-paid, low status, part-time work to meet why childcare workers, early years teachers, childcare needs. early years professionals and nursery staff – a Congress is concerned by recent figures mainly female workforce – continue to attract showing that the average cost of childcare has such low rates of pay and status. risen by 30 per cent since 2010 and that there Furthermore, Congress calls upon the General are now 35,000 fewer childcare places available, Council to work with affiliates to: despite the 125,000 rise in children under four. i. campaign for childcare support which Congress further notes Ofsted ratings from will benefit all parents, including those 2012 indicating that the most affluent areas of who work shifts and unsociable hours the country received almost twice the level of and for comprehensive policy measures top quality childcare provision compared to the geared towards the introduction of most deprived areas. There were also three universal free childcare times as many outstanding providers in the ii. support the Gingerbread campaign for wealthiest areas when comparing the least and affordable childcare for single parents most deprived local authorities in England. iii. campaign for decent terms and Childcare is increasingly a major issue for all conditions for the staff providing political parties in the run-up to the 2015 childcare in schools and nurseries, general election. The Labour Party has including adequate training and safe guaranteed wraparound 8am–6pm childcare for child/carer ratios primary school pupils and 25 hours free iv. lobby for childcare to be at the heart of childcare. Meanwhile, government measures to 2015 election manifestos give childcare tax breaks to higher earners do v. support unions to negotiate with nothing to help those who need it most. employers on childcare, ensuring Childcare support for those on Universal Credit employees are aware of and have access is less than was previously provided via the to all available means of support for 13
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childcare costs and to make the case for Society of Radiographers the role of employers in supporting childcare through workplace nurseries or financial support for employees 57 Chuck the Junk Off the Checkouts vi. examine and raise awareness of the campaign obstacles linked to childcare that Congress notes the increasing problem of women face in the labour market childhood obesity and calls on the TUC to lead vii. continue to campaign to defend Sure the responsibility of tackling this epidemic. Start nurseries. Action is required at many levels, TUC Women’s Conference simultaneously, to bring about population change in levels of obesity. The BDA has partnered with the Children’s Food Campaign to 56 Proton therapy run a Chuck the Junk Off the Checkouts Congress welcomes the government’s campaign, which aims to encourage retailers to pledged £250m to build two new NHS proton stop selling high-calorie snacks at the checkouts. beam centres. Currently patients needing such A survey conducted to support the campaign treatment have to travel overseas at a cost in found that 8 out of 10 people are unhappy with excess of £90,000 per person. However, these the sale of sugary or high-calorie products at two centres are not due to open until 2018, by checkouts. Almost all the parents surveyed said which time Germany will have had a centre they had been pestered by their children to buy operational for a decade. junk food at the checkouts, and most found it Congress is concerned that in the areas of difficult at that particular moment to say no. imaging and oncology commissioning Dietitians will engage with key policy-makers insufficient resources, both in terms of and retailers to lobby for a change in practice. equipment and radiographers, are being Congress asks the General Council to call on allocated, given the evidenced increase in politicians to ensure that a cessation of activity across all imaging modalities and cancer positioning of high-calorie food and drinks at treatments. impulse purchase points is included in the Congress is further concerned at the variation Department of Health’s “Responsibility Deal.” in the rate of healthcare interventions Congress encourages all affiliated unions to undertaken per head of population. In two key support the effort to protect children’s health. modalities, magnetic resonance imaging and British Dietetic Association computed tomography, Congress notes with dismay that the UK is well down the league table of units per million of the population. 58 Mental health and behaviour Congress further notes with concern that whilst Congress welcomes the fact that government patient activity has increased significantly over attention is being drawn to the plight of young the last decade, radiography numbers have people with behavioural and/or mental health remained broadly static. difficulties. These young people are often Congress believes that this unacceptable state overlooked by policy makers and inadequately of affairs must be immediately addressed so served by the limited resources of public sector that the process of ensuring that the health and psychology and mental health professionals. care services provided meet the needs of the Congress notes: population effectively. i. Good mental health is essential for Congress does not believe that the learning, facilitates academic success government is currently meeting the pledge and economic independence and within the NHS constitution to “...deliver supports good parenting, thus improved outcomes to patients”. Congress perpetuating a virtuous circle. therefore calls on the General Council to work ii. Increasing stress is placed upon young with the Society of Radiographers and other people from their earliest years by the relevant interested parties to lobby and present testing and examination regime, campaign for an urgent review of capital which serves not to aid learning but to equipment and manpower planning. evaluate teaching. 14
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iii. There is a need to understand the competition law should not be used to underlying reasons for observed undermine workers’ rights. behaviours before condemning children The Forum further recognised the need for to a diagnosis of pathology and governments and social partners to promote medicalisation of problems, which gender diversity and for good practice should initially be considered in the guidelines covering internships, context of the social context in which Apprenticeships, volunteering and other the child is growing up. placement schemes. The media industry is one iv. Schools and families face “patchy” where jobs have become increasingly casualised access to appropriate help. and where the competition for work has seen a Educational psychologists can intervene at an drastic rise in the number of young aspiring early stage to listen to children and young journalists being exploited through unpaid people, and work with the school and family to internships. What is required is a basic floor of prevent escalation of problems and help to rights that will support all workers. liaise with a range of mental health The discussions and the consensus reached professionals where necessary. underlines the potential benefits of greater Congress supports current child and involvement by the TUC and its affiliated unions adolescent mental health initiatives to ensure in international affairs and inter-union that adequate numbers of educational cooperation both in recruitment and campaigns psychologists and other well-trained primary to defend and enhance the rights of workers, mental health workers are available within nationally and internationally. communities so that access to the appropriate Congress calls on the General Council to professional is faster and work is completed encourage and, as necessary, assist affiliates to more quickly, resulting in fewer exclusions from participate in similar international forums. school and fewer admissions to psychiatric Congress further calls on the TUC’s delegation services. to the ILO’s 322nd Session in November 2014 to Association of Educational Psychologists support and then work to promote and seek to implement the conclusions of this Global Dialogue Forum. The following amendment was ACCEPTED by National Union of Journalists the mover: Add new paragraph at end: “Congress also notes that mental health 70 Young workers organising problems are not age-restricted and that there strategy are increasing numbers of workers struggling Congress notes: with this issue. As a result of the cut-backs in i. Trade unions are finding it difficult to supportive services, trade unions have an organise in sectors of the economy increasingly important role to play in dealing where young workers are far more likely with this issue in the workplace.” to work, e.g. in retail, catering and Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied hospitality where there is a high- Workers turnover of staff, casualisation, poor employment contracts and a prevalence 69 International support for of small workplaces. freelance and atypical workers ii. Additionally, as young people often see Congress welcomes the positive outcome, in their engagement with the workplace to particular for freelance and other ‘atypical’ be temporary or transient, unions are workers, of the ILO Global Dialogue Forum on finding it a challenge to represent Employment Relationships in the Media and young workers. Culture sector held on 14–15 May 2014. iii. Furthermore, trade unions lack a clear The Forum emphasised that fundamental strategic vision about how these young principles and rights apply to all workers workers can be recruited and organised. regardless of their employment status and that
15
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iv. The trade union movement needs young introduced. With other attacks by this workers if it is to continue standing up government on the enforcement of equality for working people of the future. rights, such as cuts in specialist advice services, Congress further notes: cuts to the Equality and Human Rights a. Leading young members in the TUC Commission and the repeal of tribunal powers have already been involved in successful to make wider recommendations, the case for campaigns to recruit and organise equality reps has grown even stronger. young workers from non-unionised Congress notes the findings of the TUC workplaces, one of the most successful Equality Audit 2014 that some trade unions of which was the SERTUC young struggle to recruit equality reps because of the workers’ committee campaign Save lack of facility time and also notes NUBS’s HMV Workers. evaluation of equality reps, which found that Congress resolves to: those that had time to spend on the role were 1. call on the General Council to support more likely to have a positive impact. the creation of a TUC young workers Congress therefore calls on the General organising strategy that will be Council to raise awareness of the benefits of developed by the young members, equality reps and to campaign for statutory alongside the Organising Department, rights for them. which seeks to recruit and organise Accord young workers, specifically in the casualised workplaces referenced above. 2. call for a review of how the TUC can 72 Trade unions in the media more effectively deploy and train its lay Congress agrees that trade unions continue to companions to establish what more they be the biggest social movement within the UK. can do to support individual members in Congress is concerned at the apparent non-unionised workplaces and promote marginalisation of unions within the media and the union to young workers. wider society. TUC Young Workers’ Conference Congress calls on the General Council to establish a study group to examine and test if trade unions are under-represented within the 71 Statutory rights for equality reps media. Congress notes that equal opportunities policies Congress agrees a report on this to be are almost universal in unionised workplaces presented at Congress 2015. (Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2011) Communication Workers Union but discrimination, harassment and under- representation remain common problems. Despite the high level commitments to equality, 73 Ethical procurement and union a minority of employers have taken steps to recognition tackle under-representation and prevent Congress welcomes the TUC’s engagement with discrimination. the Ethical Trading Initiative, and supports the Congress notes that research from principle that consumers, companies, and Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) organisations should consider the position of found that where employers bargain on workers in the supply chain of goods and equality, EO policies are less likely to be ‘empty services before making purchasing decisions. shells’. Such employers are more likely to The TUC’s commitment to ethical supply was monitor recruitment and promotion, encourage demonstrated by the highly effective Playfair applicants from under-represented groups and project in which the Organising Committee for have practices that support working parents and the 2012 Olympic Games insisted on suppliers carers. It concluded that union equality reps complying with international labour standards. would help put equality issues on the Congress believes that the right of workers to bargaining agenda. organise, as evidenced by the presence of Congress is alarmed by the large falls in recognised unions at suppliers and providers, discrimination cases since ET fees were should be a key factor in the procurement 16
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processes of progressive organisations, and Congress believes unions could be well placed others. to offer a professional service to demystify the A union initiative in the United States, Labour world of work and advise on employment 411 based in California, has successfully raised status. Progressive employers would have the awareness of American trade unionists nothing to fear and everything to gain by about the opportunities to make purchases involving an independent and experienced voice which are locally-sourced and union-made. to advise, counsel and mentor individuals in The scheme is based on a catalogue of vendors their workplace as they enter the world of who have been nominated by trade unions as work. having good working practices and full union Congress asks the TUC to both support unions recognition, enabling purchasers to positively wanting to reach out to employers to explore favour union-friendly providers. this concept and to seek political support to Congress calls on the General Council to: make the world of work less complex and more i. consult with affiliates on the feasibility certain. of a similar scheme in the UK to give British Air Line Pilots’ Association union members and consumers at large the information they need to make ethical and union-friendly purchases 75 Qatar ii. incorporate in the TUC’s procurement Congress notes there are over two million process an obligation to favour migrant workers in Qatar. These workers are providers who can demonstrate union forced to live in abject squalor and operate recognition and ethical practices in their under the kafala system, a form of bonded supply chains, and encourage affiliates labour where their passports are removed and to follow suit. they cannot leave Qatar without their Broadcasting, Entertainment, employer’s permission. Construction workers Cinematograph and Theatre Union earn as little as 56 pence per hour and wages are often withheld for up to five months. In the summer, workers are required to work excessive 74 Demystifying the world of work hours, six days a week in temperatures reaching Congress notes that the world of work is 55 degrees. changing. It is undeniably more complex and Congress is appalled that since the 2022 less certain. Workers joining the labour market World Cup was awarded to Qatar in 2010 at are confused by language of contracts, least 1,380 construction workers from India and pensions, insurance and tax. Nepal have died and the death rates of all In many workplaces the inheritance of migrant workers will be far higher. The majority experience and wisdom has been lost as, in less of deaths are recorded as cardiac arrest or than a generation, the traditional natural causes and as a result families are employer/employee relationship is being denied compensation. replaced by interns, zero-hours contracts, Congress believes the announcement that the agency supplied short-term contracts, self- Qatar Government is to reform the kafala employed workers and managed service system is a sham and the changes do not comply companies. with ILO conventions. Those joining the pilot profession have the Congress calls on the General Council and all added challenge of understanding regulatory unions to put pressure on FIFA to put Qatar on requirements, navigating the structures that notice that the exploitation of migrant workers keep flying safe and embracing the privilege of must end or they will be stripped of the World responsibility that they will shoulder as a Cup. commercial airline pilot. Those reforms to include: Much as Congress regrets this shift and will i. the complete abolition of the kafala negotiate with employers and campaign with system politicians for a return to full and permanent ii. migrant workers to have the right to employment, it is a lived reality and one that freedom of association and collective needs to be addressed. bargaining 17
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iii. independent labour inspections throughout unions on international iv. occupational health and safety LGBT atrocities; and encourage unions’ standards to meet international international departments/leads to standards prioritise LGBT issues and v. an effective labour disputes system employer/contractor guidance and vi. decent living conditions. support for LGBT members working Union of Construction, Allied Trades and abroad. Technicians TUC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Conference 76 International LGBT rights Congress notes with concern the findings of the 77 TUC Disputes Procedures EU Fundamental Rights Agency survey showing Congress recognises that clear and constructive an increase of deliberate, sustained and violent arrangements for relations between affiliates attacks on LGBT people. are essential to optimise the efficient and Congress asserts that a major factor in the effective working of the trade union movement. rise in homophobic and transphobic extremism Congress recognises the important role the TUC is the punitive and discriminatory laws in Disputes Procedures has played in this regard. countries such as Russia, India, Nigeria and However, Congress is concerned that there Uganda that criminalise and stigmatise LGBT are worrying signs that some of the discredited communities. practices that affected our movement as Congress is deeply concerned that these laws recently as the 1980s are beginning to reappear, empower authorities to abuse, harass, extort, with some unions being unable or unwilling to imprison and execute people on the grounds of respect the spirit or the letter of certain parts of their sexuality or gender identity. the Procedures. Congress condemns the Ugandan Anti- Congress agrees that the clarity of the Homosexuality Bill, dubbed the ‘Kill the Gays meaning and application of the Disputes Bill’ which not only incites increased violence Procedures is of the utmost assistance in helping against LGBT people, but also justifies and all affiliates to abide by this common set of legalises these actions. values. It therefore agrees that the Disputes Congress further asserts that these laws Procedures shall be reviewed to ensure they directly contravene international human rights remain fit-for-purpose in the current obligations, including the Universal Declaration challenging circumstances. of Human Rights. Communication Workers Union Congress endorses the work of affiliates with the global trade union movement to campaign against these human rights abuses and calls on Composite 1 Cost of living crisis the TUC and affiliates to: Congress is appalled that the UK is facing the i. press the UK government to use its worst cost of living crisis in recent memory. international influence to end the Working people are, on average, £1,600 per continuing human rights abuses in these year worse off than they were at the last countries general election. ii. work with affiliates and campaign Pay freezes and below-inflation pay rises groups to establish a robust global have resulted in a fall in real wages, and attacks campaign for the elimination of anti gay on in-work benefits have taken away much- laws that criminalise homosexuality needed support for low-paid workers. The iii. develop a Trade Union Charter on recently announced substantial increases in International LGBT Solidarity, including energy prices will only make this situation even a commitment to campaign with worse. unions/organisations in countries Congress believes that the policies of the concerned; pressure for governments to coalition government are sowing the seeds of a take strong action on countries violating disastrous future for our country with an ever LGBT rights; awareness-raising more brutal free market for labour and housing, the creeping privatisation of the NHS, punitive 18
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reforms to the welfare state and attacks on the iv. better employment protection and wages and pensions of public sector workers. rights at work including abolition of Congress asserts that the decisions of the employment tribunal fees current government have led to enormous v. initiatives to tackle the cost of housing increases in inequality for current and future through rent controls, a new house generations in the UK and do nothing to building programme and no increases to mitigate the findings of a recent report from mortgage interest rates the OECD which predicts that the global vi. a tax and benefit system that supports economy in 2060 will be one stagnating in slow workers on low and average incomes growth, huge inequality and threatened by vii. a commitment to tackle payday loan climate change. companies and enable access to Congress notes recent slowdowns in the key affordable credit including through sectors of construction and manufacturing and credit unions is concerned that the UK’s economic recovery is viii. measures to prevent private utility based on the fragile pillars of consumer companies charging extortionate tariffs borrowing and a dysfunctional housing market. for gas, electricity and water Congress believes that sustainable growth can ix. measures to regulate all rail fares and an only be delivered by a programme which end to massive annual inflation-busting rebalances both the economy and the increases relationship between corporations and trade x. improved provision of and access to unions. affordable childcare facilities. Congress welcomes the findings of recent Congress supports the TUC’s Britain Needs A Pay research by the International Monetary Fund, Rise campaign and demonstration on 18 which states that the ‘restoration of poor and October and calls on the General Council to middle income households bargaining power’ continue to campaign for a rebalanced economy can be very effective in reducing the probability underpinned by strong trade unions. of another major economic crisis. Mover: Union of Shop, Distributive and Congress supports the work of the People’s Allied Workers Assembly and believes that this body represents Seconder: Associated Society of Locomotive the broadest coalition of unions, campaigning Engineers and Firemen and direct action groups as well as political Supporters: Unite; Transport Salaried Staffs’ organisations operating under a democratic, Association action-focused programme to defeat austerity. Congress calls on the General Council to further Composite 2 Young workers develop this support. Congress acknowledges that the economic Congress welcomes Labour’s pledge to scrap recovery is an academic concept for the majority the bedroom tax, to publish the Cost of Living of workers, particularly young workers, trapped Contract and its commitment to a 20-month in labour insecurity, zero-hours contracts and freeze in energy prices; to support the living agency work, while burdened by personal debt wage through incentives to encourage private and the grip of unscrupulous lenders and with sector employers to become living wage limited access to Apprenticeships or further employers. educational opportunities. Congress asks the government to tackle Congress recognises that young workers are poverty and the cost of living crisis by adopting most affected by the scourge of unpredictable policies including: earnings and hours and the lack of employment i. promotion of the living wage in the rights in zero-hours contracts and agency work public and private sectors making home ownership an impossible dream ii. a reduction in overall taxation on low- for many young workers. The failure of supply paid workers and their families through in private and social housing has led to measures such as a restoration of the 10 increasing house prices, unaffordable rents and per cent income tax band young people excluded from the housing iii. stronger enforcement measures for the market. Congress deplores the chronic national minimum wage 19
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uncertainty and insecurity this leads to for hard work does have its reward with good job young workers. prospects being a prerequisite. Congress acknowledges the current system of This generation of young people is in danger vocational education has failed, leading to low- of being forgotten and overlooked and for quality Apprenticeships in many sectors. We millions the future looks far from bright. need a radical overhaul of the system, with an Congress believes it is vitally important that emphasis on advanced Apprenticeships to at unions work together to give our young people least Level 3. a fighting chance and a pathway into Congress is concerned that the burden of meaningful employment. debt falls even harder on young people, with Congress calls on the General Council to research by Demos showing that around half of campaign against the exploitation of young 18- to 34-year-olds admit that their debt has workers on zero-hours contracts, to support the increased over the past five years. Congress work of credit unions as an alternative to notes that personal debt remains an acute exploitative payday loan companies and for problem in Britain today with the average UK more access to education and high quality household debt standing at just over £6,000, Apprenticeships for young workers and calls for excluding mortgages. rent controls to be introduced alongside a Congress believes that many ruthless programme of social housing construction. companies regard this situation not as a Mover: Associated Society of Locomotive problem but as an opportunity to make money Engineers and Fireman from vulnerable workers, with debt charity Step Seconder: Professional Footballers’ Change highlighting an increase of more than Association 100 per cent in the number of clients with Supporters: GMB; Union of Construction, payday loans between 2011 and 2012. Allied Trades and Technicians Congress calls on the General Council to support initiatives that provide real sustainable Composite 3 Transatlantic Trade and opportunities for youngsters who are facing huge hurdles in their quest for decent work and Investment Partnership (TTIP) employment. Congress is extremely concerned about the The number of young players that are proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment rejected is alarmingly high in the football Partnership (TTIP) free trade treaty, a wide- industry and this seems to be replicated across ranging trade deal giving unprecedented power the wider job market. Young people are and influence to transnational corporations that working tremendously hard in education and would become the benchmark for all future training but sadly so often there is nothing at trade agreements, currently being negotiated the end of this. This is indeed the case in between the EU and the USA and recognises the football with young players being thrown on threat posed. While there may be economic the scrapheap before they are out of their benefits in reducing trade tariffs and reviewing teens. The small numbers that do become regulation for certain industrial sectors, professionals face another uphill battle in trying Congress believes that the primary purpose of to establish themselves in the first team of their TTIP is to extend corporate investor rights. respective clubs. A key element of the TTIP is the introduction Again opportunities are incredibly limited of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) and Congress can see from the disappointment clause, which would act as a of England’s early World Cup exit that this tribunal/arbitration. The ISDS could see millions stifling of youth is having a real impact on our of pounds paid out to those big private sector international prospects. corporations should NHS services be brought The trade union movement has always been back into the public sector in the future. prepared to stand up against injustice and As with all trade agreements, TTIP is being unfairness and it is important that we do not let negotiated mainly in secret. The current young people down at this very challenging negotiations lack transparency and proper time. We need to demand that training and democratic oversight. TTIP would: 20
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i. allow corporations to sue sovereign e. the impact on creators’ intellectual states, elected governments and other property rights. authorities legislating in the public Congress notes that free trade agreements interest where this curtails their ability rarely, if ever, benefit working people and are to maximise their profits, by recourse to pushed by corporations who use them as a an Investor-State Dispute Settlement means to maximise profits and further their mechanism own interests. ii. threaten the future of our NHS and The idea of transatlantic trade may well be other key public services supported by those that would profit from it, iii. risk job losses, despite unsubstantiated but for our health services based on values, claims to the contrary principles and sustainability it could be a iv. potentially undermine labour standards, financial disaster, adding another nail in the pay, conditions and trade union rights as NHS coffin. The TUC and a number of other the US refuses to ratify core ILO organisations have been campaigning to conventions and operates anti-union exempt the NHS from the negotiations and “right to work” policies in half of its Congress now calls on the General Council to states keep the pressure on and raise the profile of the v. reverse years of European progress on calamitous affects the TTIP could have on the environmental standards, food safety NHS. and control of dangerous chemicals, Congress remains unconvinced by official given US refusal to accept stricter EU claims of job creation arising out of TTIP, and regulation of substances long banned in considers that the dangers to public services, the EU workers’ rights and environmental standards vi. deprive EU member states of billions of outweigh any potential benefits. Congress pounds in lost tariff revenue. remains unconvinced about the likelihood of a Key concerns are: binding labour rights chapter based on ILO Core a. the threat to our National Health Service Conventions. and sections of the public sector that Congress has similar concerns over current may be opened up to the private sector negotiations for the proposed Trade in Services leaving a future Labour government Agreement (TISA) and the Comprehensive with no legal right to take back into Economic Trade Agreement (CETA). public ownership (including previously Congress believes that on the current path publicly owned transport and utilities) we will be presented with a fait accompli in the and that could lead to a far more form of an inadequate, unacceptable widespread fragmentation of NHS agreement that we have had no chance of services, putting them into the hands of influencing or amending and where time will big private sector corporations make it difficult to mobilise opposition. b. the quasi-judicial process on the Congress resolves that the TUC should: Investor-State Dispute Settlement under 1. oppose Investor-State Dispute which multinational corporations may Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms and a sue, in secret courts, nation states whose ratchet clause laws or actions are deemed 2. call for the exclusion of all public incompatible with free trade services, including education and health, c. opening up European markets to US public procurement, public utilities and Frankenstein foods – hormone enriched public transport (whether in public or beef, chlorinated poultry and genetically private ownership) from the modified cereals and salmon negotiations d. the mutual recognition of regulatory 3. demand no levelling down in relation to standards which will lead to a race to consumer, worker or environmental the bottom and the creation of a protection Transatlantic Regulatory Council which 4. insist on genuine consultation with civil will give privileged access to society organisations, including trade multinational corporations unions 21
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5. work with like-minded organisations, educational barriers which blight the life including the ETUC, in opposing all chances of a significant proportion of our next detrimental aspects of TTIP and in generation. campaigning for alternative EU trade Congress notes that, at a time of increasing and investment policies poverty and austerity for the many, the UK is 6. welcome the decision of the EU Foreign now the fourth richest nation in the world Affairs Council on Trade to exclude the (GDP/capita) with the wealthiest 1,000 people in audio-visual sector from the initial TTIP the UK currently worth over £518bn, an increase agenda, and lobby the UK government of 13 per cent since 2013. to oppose its future inclusion, in order Congress also notes with concern that the to preserve the European Cultural recession and the increases in poverty and Exception and the unique national inequality which come in its wake have also led nature of arts and entertainment to an upsurge in racism and xenophobia in the activity within Europe. UK and across the whole of Europe. Congress therefore resolves that the trade union Congress notes with concern the advance of movement should now call for the TTIP UKIP and other even more right-wing, negotiations to be halted and adopt a clear xenophobic and outright racist parties in the position of outright opposition to TTIP, and the 2014 European Parliamentary elections. other trade agreements currently being Congress continues to reject the policies put negotiated, whilst continuing to monitor forward by such organisations, including on progress and press for improvements to immigration. promote decent jobs and growth and safeguard Congress notes the deep disillusionment with labour, consumer, environmental and health mainstream politics revealed by the results of and safety standards through lobbying, the 2014 elections. In particular, low turnout campaigning and negotiating, in alliance with assisted UKIP to considerable gains. UKIP’s true the ETUC and AFLCIO. agenda stands counter to the interests of Congress agrees that all pending and future working people of all backgrounds. UKIP have trade agreements entered into by the EU should previously called for the elimination of virtually be subject to a vigorous and transparent regime all workplace protections, with employees’ of scrutiny and consultation, ensuring that they rights wholly dependent on the goodwill of the are of benefit and acceptable to the millions of employer. UKIP have also called in the past for people affected by their content, in all countries the privatisation of schools and hospitals and a covered by the agreement. flat rate of income tax, policies that would be Mover: Unite disastrous for low-paid and working class Seconder: GMB people. Their success has damaged mainstream Supporters: University and College Union; politics, leading to more punitive measures Hospital Consultants and Specialists against migrant workers, legitimising racist Association; UNISON; Musicians’ Union; rhetoric and attacks against vulnerable workers. Broadcasting, Entertainment, While UKIP preys on economic anxieties, Cinematograph and Theatre Union Congress believes that the only real answer to low pay and exploitation is stronger Composite 4 Challenging the politics employment rights protections and trade union solidarity. Congress asserts that trade unionists of poverty, inequality and racism are uniquely positioned to challenge such Congress continues to be deeply concerned at propaganda. the effects of the government’s austerity Congress calls on the General Council, agenda which has already resulted in over 13 affiliated unions and others to continue to million people living in poverty with around five campaign vigorously against organisations who million people still earning below the living have no contribution to make to improving the wage (currently standing at £7.65 an hour). living standards and quality of life of the Congress condemns the fact that 10 per cent millions of people suffering from the impact of of our young people live with a level of social austerity cuts imposed by various governments and economic deprivation that creates across Europe. 22
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Congress is also critical of the UK right-wing b. continue to counter the racist anti media’s obsessively prejudicial coverage of immigration propaganda that originates immigration issues characterised by in the overtly racist parties and groups exaggeration, lies and half-truths – including in the UK but which is now being increased pressure on our schools, hospitals and adopted by some of the established other public services. Congress rejects this mainstream parties. analysis and instead recognises the enormous Mover: UNISON positive contribution generations of migrants Seconder: Educational Institute of Scotland have made to the UK economy and society. Supporters: Transport Salaried Staffs’ Indeed, many areas of employment including Association; Public and Commercial Services vital services like the NHS and public transport Union would suffer greatly were it not for the hard work and commitment of migrant workers. Composite 5 Delivering high- Congress rejects attempts to pit UK workers against migrant workers or claimants. It rejects performance workplaces the divide and rule rhetoric and notes that Congress recognises the critical importance of migrants pay more in taxes than they receive in developing an active industrial strategy that benefits. Congress further notes that UK fosters strategic, tripartite engagement benefits are among the lowest in Europe, between business, unions and government, and making claims of ‘benefit tourism’ ridiculous ensures a long-term approach from employers Congress is also concerned about the that delivers high-performance workplaces and opportunity for unscrupulous employers to supports low-paid workers (often from diverse exploit migrant workers as a cheap source of backgrounds) in all sectors trapped in low skills labour to undercut people’s pay and pensions jobs. Congress is profoundly concerned that the and considers this is the real problem that current hands-off approach from government is mainstream politicians need to address. hurting UK workers and business and the wider Congress calls on the TUC and its affiliates to UK economy, and that government should make challenge the politics of hate by: far more effective use of the levers at its i. developing local community campaigns disposal to support industry and the public ahead of the 2015 general election in sector in areas such as procurement, taxation conjunction with groups such as HOPE and skills policy. not hate and UAF Congress notes that secure employment, self- ii. counteracting voter disillusionment and development, fair pay and feeling valued are all UKIP’s policies for workers, highlighting factors associated with high-performing voter registration and engagement workplaces across all sectors, and that to assist through active campaigning and in achieving these goals we need a hands-on political education strategic approach from government that iii. tackling the toxic rhetoric around promotes good industrial relations and creates migration and placing a renewed focus and secures jobs. on organising and recruiting migrant Therefore, Congress calls on the TUC to workers. support and develop: Congress calls on the General Council to i. tripartite industrial strategies to create continue to fight for a more humane sustainable employment opportunities, immigration policy. This, together with better provide ongoing productivity employment rights for all workers and the improvements and develop skills reversal of austerity cuts, will help defeat ii. procurement policies that recognise racism, prejudice and discrimination. Congress, employers prepared to invest in skills therefore, calls on the General Council to: and that recognise trade unions a. continue its campaigning work to iii. policies that promote worker combat the structural inequalities that participation and good industrial lead to poverty, including support for relations such as by improving the establishment of the living wage consultation arrangements across the economy 23
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iv. the crucial role of trade unions in storage plants burning coal. Without this delivering genuine staff engagement technology the government’s environmental
that captures the knowledge, expertise targets for CO2 will not be achieved. and ideas that workers have in all Given the above concerns Congress is also sectors that can make a real difference asked to press the government not to increase to the success of an organisation further the present level of the carbon price v. initiatives such as that led by the FDA floor (CPF). supporting a younger and more diverse Congress applauds the workers buyout group to access roles and development committee at Kellingley Colliery for their valiant within the public sector. efforts to prolong the life of the mine beyond Mover: Community the company’s projected closure of the industry Seconder: Chartered Society of in late 2015, saving 1,000s of jobs within the Physiotherapy associated industries. Supporter: FDA Congress welcomed the budget announcement of further support for EIIs to Composite 6 Energy policy mitigate the impact of green taxes, including the CPF. However, Congress calls on the General Congress notes that the future of indigenous Council to lobby for support to be brought coal mining in the UK is gravely at risk as a forward from 2016 and offered to less carbon- consequence of a number of external factors intensive industries not covered but suffering including the sterling/dollar exchange rate, the competitive disadvantage. short-term availability of displaced cheap coal Mover: BACM–TEAM from America and the disproportionate burden Seconder: Community placed on coal by environmental legislation. Supporters: National Union of Mineworkers; This threatens the closure of UK Coal’s National Association of Colliery Overmen, remaining two deep mines. Although the Deputies and Shotfirers government have offered a match-funded commercial loan of £10m, this initiative is predicated on the managed closure of the Composite 7 Public sector pay and industry in 2015. living standards Congress views the reliance on coal imports Congress is appalled that the squeeze on living as a danger to the security of energy supply. It is standards shows no sign of abating. The return unknown whether fracking in the UK will to economic growth has brought no relief to produce the required energy, and also unknown the vast majority of UK workers, while the is the potential damage to the environment. bonus culture continues to run amok. Coal is a proven indigenous source of energy Congress believes that George Osborne’s that can be used cleanly. much-heralded ‘recovery’ is a recovery only for Congress endorses the efforts by the TUC and the wealthy – as the 1,000 richest Briton’s mining unions to ensure a longer term future of increased their wealth by £70bn in the last year. indigenous mining by the UK applying for Congress notes that the number of workers European state aid. Other member states have earning less than a living wage has rocketed to applied for such assistance and the EU more than five million. With four-fifths of new Competition Directorate has indicated that it jobs low-paid, for the first time more working would expedite any application quickly. families are in poverty than non-working ones. Congress urges the TUC to press for such aid Congress condemns the government’s at every opportunity. punitive public sector pay and pensions policy Congress welcomes the work done by the that has resulted in cuts of 16 to 20 per cent in TUC in conjunction with the Carbon Capture & the value of staff pay since 2010. Storage Association and through the TUC Clean Congress also condemns the fact that the Coal Task Force. brunt of the economic crisis continues to be Congress notes that a future market for coal borne by those least able to afford it while in the UK requires the government to commit large-scale tax avoidance and tax evasion early to a number of carbon capture and 24
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continues apace and notes that executive pay is iv. highlight falling living standards, up 74 per cent. ensuring this remains a central feature But Congress congratulates higher education of the 2015 general election campaign staff and their unions for having broken v. promote a living wage as a means of through the pay cap with their latest pay award ending the blight of poverty and securing the living wage at more than 150 vi. campaign against any proposals to universities. introduce thresholds for union strike Congress deplores the increasing use of ballots privatisation and casualisation as a further vii. campaign for greater pay transparency, means of restricting pay, allowing some including compulsory equal pay audits employers to circumvent minimum wage law. and stronger sanctions for employers Congress also notes that 44 years after the who disregard their findings. Equal Pay Act was passed, the pay gap between Mover: UNISON men and women has recently steadily increased Seconder: Public and Commercial Services to over 15 per cent for full-time workers. Union Congress congratulates those members who Supporters: Educational Institute of took industrial action on 10 July across local Scotland; NASUWT; University and College government and other public services, and Union offers support to those in the NHS and elsewhere considering further action. Composite 8 Pensions Congress applauds all unions that have Congress believes that pensions are effectively continued to engage in industrial action to deferred pay and that decent pension provision frustrate the government’s assault on the pay of for all workers is at the heart of the welfare public service workers by pursuing sustainable state, as well as a central aim for the trade industrial action through action short of strike union movement. and strike action. Congress notes the attacks made by this Congress believes that unions’ industrial coalition government on all aspects of pension action on pay must be coordinated by the TUC provision, including gerrymandering inflation across the public sector. We further believe the uprating, attacks on public sector pensions, most effective way to challenge the policy is threats to universal pensioner benefits such as through developing common objectives in a the winter fuel allowance and bus pass, and dispute with government and a joint efforts to further undermine private sector campaigning strategy, including joint industrial pensions. action. Congress believes that the state pension is Congress further condemns Tory hypocritical not sufficient to meet the needs for retired anti-union proposals to introduce thresholds for working people, particularly in light of the fact strike ballots, when no UK political elections are that the £155 per week state pension due from subject to such rules. April 2016 announced by the coalition is false Congress calls on the General Council to: and will see many people receive less than this, i. put the case for ending below-inflation who have earned the right to a dignified pay to all parties in the run-up to the retirement after a lifetime of work. 2015 general election and campaign for Congress further believes that an a commitment from all three occupational pension remains a vital part of Westminster Parties for an end to the ensuring a decent standard of living during public sector pay cap retirement. ii. coordinate joint campaigning over pay Congress recognises that occupational and pensions across unions representing pensions should reflect the nature of the work public sector workers carried out in specific sectors and industries, and iii. draw up a joint industrial action strategy that no ‘one-size-fits-all’ arrangement is amongst affiliates, coordinating strike necessary for all schemes. action amongst affiliates who are in Congress also condemns this government’s dispute with their employers over the refusal to ensure that equal marriage is truly course of the next year 25
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equal by ensuring equality of provision for allocated and condemns the political parties for survivor benefits in occupational schemes. adopting the same austerity spending plan for Congress will continue to fight to overturn laws 2015–16. Congress believes that the that allow pensions to offer reduced benefits to government’s austerity programme is aimed at same-sex couples. creating a permanently smaller state. Congress calls on the next Westminster The transfer of some government services to government to reverse the detrimental changes local authorities will pass the buck for austerity made to state and occupational pensions since to local councils and lead to more outsourcing 2010, and ensure that all workers receive the and a postcode lottery for currently universally pensions they have paid for. provided public services, as happened with the Congress calls on the Labour Party to produce social fund and council tax benefit. a coherent pensions plan, including an absolute Digitisation of public services should be seen guarantee on a weekly flat rate state pension as an opportunity to improve services for the that is clear and unambiguous and on public, not solely as a further rationale to occupational pensions, to ensure that workers reduce resources. do not have to pay more, work longer and still Privatisation, outsourcing and restructuring get less. are disrupting the delivery of services and Congress notes the announcement in the frustrating attempts to meet longer term Budget that from 2015 workers in private challenges, such as meeting the needs of an pension schemes will not have to buy an ageing society and rising expectations of service annuity. Investments advice is complex and users. This drives down wages and standards of costly. Congress therefore calls on the service to the public, leads to the loss of government to provide free advice for workers revenues to fund public services through tax to use their fund wisely to avoid spending their avoidance, evasion and off-shoring, and delivers retirement in poverty. riches for shareholder profit. Congress welcomes Congress calls on the General Council to PCS opposition campaigns, including defence of continue to campaign for fair state pensions for the Land Registry. The Civil Service Reform Plan all, and to coordinate action in defence of enshrines further privatisation. pensions among affiliated unions, including, The relentless downward pressure on where appropriate, industrial action. budgets, with no letup in demand, has placed Mover: Fire Brigades’ Union an unbearable strain on public servants who Seconder: Communication Workers Union remain committed to quality public services. Supporters: University and College Union; Staff morale is damaged due to pay cuts, Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers downgrading, redundancies and consequent and Firemen; Society of Chiropodists and increased workload for remaining staff, leading Podiatrists to recruitment and retention problems. Many public servants are working hundreds of Composite 9 Defending quality public additional unpaid hours every year, effectively subsiding public services with their own time. services The democratic accountability and character Congress recognises that effective and efficient of public services is being undermined by public services are a shared goal of citizens, current government policies, such as the Council governments and public servants. Public services Tax cap and the hospital closure provisions of are now in an almost permanent cycle of the Care Act. reform, both to deliver efficiencies and meet The government’s approach is reinforcing the changing expectations of the public. levels of inequality in society. Congress notes that: The tax gap is far higher than HMRC Cuts to services and jobs are becoming critical estimates and tax will be a major battleground – with 60 per cent of cuts still to come. Congress for the next government. rejects the approach of successive governments Congress calls on the General Council to requiring substantial financial savings from develop a campaign to ensure: public services with little rationale or evidence i. the future of our public services is firmly on how they can be delivered within the budget on the agenda at the next general 26
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election, to challenge the main parties Composite 10 Maintaining a world- to demonstrate to voters and public class education system servants, in a meaningful and robust Congress welcomes the wealth of international way, how they will maintain and evidence confirming that public education improve public services, match those systems across the UK are amongst the best in commitments with the resources needed the world. to deliver them and discharge their Congress condemns the ideologically driven duties as a responsible employer denigration of public education and the ii. any incoming government after the unremitting assault on the professionalism, pay, 2015 general election immediately working conditions and jobs of teachers and scraps the cuts in funding for public support staff in schools, which are damaging to services planned by the current coalition children’s educational progress and government by means of an emergency achievements. budget immediately following the Congress deplores the politically motivated general election. attacks on educational entitlements of children iii. the general election is used to highlight and young people and the failure to establish private sector failure and profiteering, systems of governance, management and and the benefits of public sector financial scrutiny that ensure that schools act in provision, with a major anti-privatisation the public interest. Congress notes teacher event before the general election and a working hours have gone up by over 10 per cent training programme on campaigning since 2010 and these extra hours are not spent against privatisation on tasks that support students or improve iv. the tide of privatisation and outsourcing teaching and learning. that is disfiguring our services is Congress welcomes the work being done by decisively turned, including anti-cuts, teacher unions to highlight the damaging effect anti-off-shoring and anti-privatisation government policy is having on education. campaigns aimed at defending public Congress congratulates those unions services and returning services to public campaigning to reclaim the promise of public ownership and the removal of public education by ensuring that quality educational services from the provision of the opportunities are accessible to all children and proposed TTIP agreement young people. v. a moratorium on further job cuts in all Congress believes government attacks on the parts of public services is implemented pay and conditions of school staff are an attack immediately on education. Congress welcomes the fact that vi. tax justice is central to political joint campaigning stopped the School Teachers’ campaigning on public services and Review Body (STRB) bringing in changes that welfare spending based on Tax Justice Michael Gove requested which would have Network research and in particular to made things worse. Congress notes this work is draw attention to the role of winning public support and that Michael Gove’s professionals in HMRC in combating approval rating amongst the public is avoidance and evasion to ensure that somewhere between 9 per cent and 16 per cent. the money required to fund essential With music education facing more cuts, the public services is collected Musicians’ Union and the Music Industries vii. an alternative vision for public services Association (MIA) have launched a new built on enduring values of fairness, campaign to help support the invaluable work valuing staff, compassion and social carried out by music teachers around the UK. solidarity is vigorously promoted, along Music teachers across the UK are being robust proposals about how they can be affected by job cuts, a worsening in terms and funded. conditions and the casualisation of the Mover: UNISON workforce. A whole generation of children is at Seconder: Public and Commercial Services risk of losing out on the life-changing Union opportunities that music education offers as we Supporters: FDA; Fire Brigades’ Union 27
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see increasing fragmentation of the education ix. ensure educational staff have the right system. to continuing professional development The campaign aims to raise awareness of the x. secure increased investment in issues affecting music teachers everywhere and education, ensuring the recruitment and also to celebrate the inspirational work teachers retention of teachers and support staff have done, and are doing, to create and inspire xi. fund schools and colleges properly and the musicians and music lovers of the future. encourage them to work together Congress welcomes and supports the five xii. secure appropriate national systems of demands of the NUT Stand Up for Education governance, management and financial campaign, which have won support from scrutiny that reflect the values and ethos parents and politicians. of a public education service. Local Congress further welcomes the positive vision councils should have the right to build set out in ATL’s Shape Education manifesto, new schools where they are needed which puts students’ futures before profit, xiii. prevent any change to the charitable school collaboration before competition, and status of academy trusts that would properly funds the transition from schools and allow them to become profit-driven colleges to work with excellent careers businesses guidance. xiv. extend universal free school meals to Congress calls on the General Council to junior classes, ensuring pupils aren’t too mount a vigorous and sustained campaign and hungry to learn resolves to: xv. support the MU and the MIA’s Support i. support campaign initiatives by My Music Teacher campaign. education unions aimed at highlighting Mover: National Union of Teachers the effects of government education Seconder: NASUWT policy Supporters: Musicians’ Union; GMB; ii. make education a key strand of TUC Association of Teachers and Lecturers campaigning up to the general election 2015 and setting out to all political Composite 11 Restoring democratic parties an alternative education vision iii. secure a national framework of accountability in the school system educational entitlement, accessible to all Congress affirms that the coalition children and young people regardless of government’s academies/free schools parental income programme and its attacks on local government iv. ensure that all children and young responsibilities and funding are causing huge people receive a broad and balanced problems of democratic accountability in the education, fit for life in the 21st century. education service. Congress asserts that the Changes to the curriculum and secretive practices of the government in assessment should be positive, planned promoting unnecessary free schools and and a result of discussions with the unregulated academies amounts to a gross teaching profession. misuse of public funds; and further, that v. ensure that all children are taught by inadequacies of oversight are inevitable in such teachers who hold qualified teacher an atomised system. These practices contrast status markedly with the tight-fisted austerity applied vi. ensure there are enough teachers and to the rest of public expenditure. stop picking fights with the ones we Congress notes the acute and continuing have concerns of the House of Commons Public vii. highlight the positive contribution to Accounts Committee about the operation of the learning of well-deployed teaching Education Funding Agency, including a lack of assistants transparency and accountability in academies viii. secure national pay and conditions of and free schools and the conflicts of interest of service for all teachers and support staff trustees on academy boards. Congress also notes in all state-funded schools the escalating number of fraud, nepotism and corruption investigations associated with 28
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academies and free schools. Congress further Mover: Association of Teachers and notes that the Secretary of State has taken Lecturers £400m from the basic needs budget to fill a hole Seconder: National Union of Teachers in the free schools’ budget at a time of a rapidly rising primary school population, and a rising Composite 12 Sustainable funding number of infant schoolchildren in classes of over 30. These concerns echo the findings of the for the NHS TUC’s own Education Not for Sale report Far from benefiting from economic recovery, documenting the encroachment of profiteering spending on the NHS as a proportion of GDP is into state education. due to fall to 6.1 per cent by 2021, leaving the Congress notes the emerging crisis in school UK lagging behind most other European places, as millions are spent on free schools in countries in terms of funding. areas with no shortage of places while growing Congress believes that given ever-rising demand pupil numbers creates ever growing shortages for health services, this raises serious questions elsewhere. Congress believes that local about the future sustainability of the NHS. authorities’ dwindling ability to monitor, In some services funding has been cut by up to a support and intervene in schools, and in third; however, the needs of communities have particular in academies, is leading to increasing remained unchanged. In fact with increased life problems with regard to governance, expectancy, increasing incidences of diabetes accountability and educational standards. Local and other chronic conditions, need has authorities are best placed to ensure fair access increased significantly. to education for students and support schools in The result of these funding cuts has seen NHS times of crisis, being close at hand and familiar podiatry and other community services with local contexts, but must be permitted the subjected to ‘redesigns’ or ‘reorganisations’: resources needed to maintain and deploy the these are dressed up phrases for cost-cutting necessary support and expertise. exercises. Congress supports the call from the Public Congress believes these service Accounts Committee for a fit-and-proper redesigns/reorganisations will have a persons test for academy trustees, but further devastating effect on the standard of care that demands a transparent and equitable funding NHS clinicians will be able to provide to patients system for all state-funded schools regardless of as morale amongst members within the NHS is status, administered by a democratically at an all-time low. accountable middle tier responsive to local Consistently ranked among the best-performing needs. Funding for public services must not be and valued healthcare systems in the world, the for private gain. NHS cannot continue to deliver universal quality Congress believes that 26,000 state schools care to patients without a significant rethink on cannot be run from Whitehall and that an how it is paid for and organised. effective and accountable ‘middle tier’, sitting Congress calls on the TUC to take every between government and schools, for oversight opportunity to press for such a rethink, of the education system is essential. including how to: Furthermore, Congress believes that its i. ensure that the NHS has the funding establishment must be based squarely on through taxation that it needs restoring an appropriate role for local ii. base health and social care around the authorities in relation to schools. needs of patients, delivered in as Congress therefore calls on the political seamless way as possible, with a much parties to commit themselves to a middle-tier greater focus on prevention and based on democratically elected local keeping people out of hospital authorities, holding requisite powers over iii. restore staff morale, badly dented by school place planning and admissions, funded rapidly increasing work pressures, the adequately for their role in providing constant maligning of the NHS, and monitoring, support and intervention, and with government failure to honour a strong commitment to a community cohesion. independent Pay Review Body recommendations 29
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iv. genuinely engage patients, NHS staff i. continue to highlight the impact of and their representatives in re-designing austerity measures, including both cuts services that will deliver quality and to health care provision and cuts to stand the test of time, alongside making welfare benefits, on the health of the best use of taxpayer money. nation Congress calls on the TUC to continue to ii. urge employers to ensure that they campaign through the All Together for the NHS invest in effective occupational health campaign and other campaigns to maintain the services to keep workers in work and pay levels and the skills that clinicians need to help them to return to work as quickly provide a quality, safe and effective service to as possible their communities. iii. work with organisations like The Age Mover: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Employment Network supporting Seconder: Society of Chiropodists and older workers in the workplace Podiatrists iv. highlight the importance of a well- funded NHS, free at the point of use, for Composite 13 The economic and all workers, including self-employed workers and those who are engaged in health impact of austerity itinerant and highly mobile occupations Congress believes government austerity v. campaign with NHS employers to measures are having severe and negative effects highlight the vital importance of not just on the pockets but also on the health of occupational health within the NHS and the nation. Sickness absence costs the UK £15bn to work to create models of best annually in lost economic output. Investment in practice for workplace health. quality healthcare and support for those whose Mover: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy health currently prevents them from working is Seconder: Association of Teachers and good for people and good for the economy. Lecturers Congress knows that for most people, even Supporters: Equity; Society of Radiographers those with long-term conditions, health can actually be improved by being in work. The research findings are clear. Major cuts in Composite 14 Protect probation and public spending and health services across Speak up for Justice Europe have triggered a drastic deterioration in Congress welcomes the TUC Speak Up for Justice people’s overall health. campaign, which has a multi-union approach. Job losses are leading to increases in incidents Congress notes its aims and objectives and of depression, mental health problems and endorses the campaign, which calls for properly suicide. funded prison, probation and court services. Older workers, in particular women, are The coalition government’s Transforming especially vulnerable to stress, juggling caring Rehabilitation (TR) agenda has caused the responsibilities for their extended families with fragmentation of the 106-year-old probation the insecurity of redundancy and pressures of service and foisted operational chaos within the new performance procedures that accelerate National Probation Service (NPS) and 21 capability issues into dismissal. Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) Efficiency savings and cuts to health care are that came into effect on 1 June. Despite this, preventing people from accessing the support and overwhelming evidence that demonstrates they need to help them obtain or remain in that there is a real danger to community safety, employment. the Secretary of State continues with his Congress believes forward-thinking attempts to sell off the CRC network using a so- investment in health care can stop this called tendering process that Napo believes is downward spiral by enabling people to return not only fundamentally uncompetitive, but to and stay in paid work, one of the key routes morally corrupt. out of poverty. Congress believes the Secretary of State’s Congress calls on the TUC General Council to: claims that privatising probation will bring about a decrease in re-offending rates and 30
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introduce innovation is an abject ii. placing a time limit on the legality of a misrepresentation of the facts. It follows his mandate a union has to call industrial blatant misleading of parliament, his refusal to action. comply with FOI requests on his own This, along with the much delayed Carr Review, department’s damning assessment of TR, and his is indicative of the industrial relations permanent state of self-denial about the framework the Tories would hope to implement disastrous impact of his grandiose project. if they win the next general election, which is Congress calls on the General Council to: chipping away at the last vestige of trade union i. express its full support for Napo’s rights left to us in Britain. alternative plans to assist the under 12- Congress recognises that Britain already has month custodial community by publicly some of the most restrictive rules on industrial managed, locally accountable action of any democratic country. The Prime partnerships with proven providers Minister has already announced that within the ii. endorse the public and political Conservative manifesto there will be more campaign to halt the TR timetable, and restrictions on thresholds on union ballots, to prevent the share sale of the CRCs which will form legislation if they win the taking place general election in 2015. iii. call upon an incoming Labour During the life time of this parliament we government to revoke any contracts have seen the Tories and their LibDem allies should any of these be awarded this side severely curtail individual rights at work – the of the next general election. impact of which is shown by the most recent Mover: Napo Employment Tribunal statistics. Single claim Seconder: POA applications to the Tribunal are down from 13,739 to 5,619 – a 59 per cent drop over last year’s figures. All types of cases were down: Composite 15 Trade union and unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, unpaid employment rights wages, race discrimination and sexual Congress notes the British trade union orientation. movement has suffered a range of politically If workers can’t rely on the law then they motivated legislative and legal restrictions all need strong trade unions to fight their corner. designed to undermine and weaken the The case is unanswerable that an incoming campaign for social justice and equality. government should legislate to support trade Congress further notes these attacks have union rights based on international and become the staple diet of Conservative Party European labour standards, including the: politicians and their fellow travellers who seek a. right to organise to undermine or destroy the right to strike. b. right to collective bargaining This is at a time when the International c. right to strike Organisation of Employers is challenging the d. repeal, in the first term of a Labour existence of an international right to strike at government, of all aspects of legislation the ILO, a challenge which hits to the heart of introduced by the coalition government all workers’ rights to organise. that seek to deny justice for working Congress notes that the government’s people. immediate response to the public sector strikes Congress is proud that it is the very core called for 10 July was not to seek a resolution of function of this trade union movement to the issues but to suggest that further reform of promote and defend our members’ interests, trade union law was necessary. including fighting for social justice and against The government said that it would seek to global exploitation. legislate in two areas: The hallmark of a real democratic society is i. that there should be a threshold for the the measure of freedoms and rights that its turnout in an industrial action ballot citizens’ institutions including trade unions, that must be reached have access to. The trade union movement has achieved much in the way of improving industrial and 31
Section 1: Congress decisions
social justice for working people; it is time for us the Agency Workers Regulations have failed to to fight for the rights we need to continue that deliver the equal pay promised by the Agency mission. Workers Directive. Congress agrees that the time has come to Congress welcomes Ed Miliband’s statement become proactive in the promotion of collective to the 2013 Congress that Labour will “end bargaining, employment rights and trade zero-hours contracts where workers are working unions’ democratic rights to organise politically regular hours but are denied a regular on behalf of their members. contract”. Congress agrees the time has come to stand Congress notes that Labour’s latest proposal up against this political bullying. is that “after six months, workers should have a Congress resolves to resist further attempts to right to request” a contract with fixed minimum restrict the rights of working people and their hours and “after a period of 12 months trade unions to organise and campaign, continuous employment, workers on zero-hours including defending the basic freedom of the contracts who are working regular hours … right to strike. should have a right to be offered a contract that Congress calls on the General Council to bring is other than zero-hours”. the importance of strong independent unions to Congress welcomes Labour’s commitment to the core of the political debate of the next take action over zero-hours contracts. Congress, general election. however, believes that workers on zero-hours Congress resolves to work closely with the contracts should have a right to guaranteed ITUC to defend these freedoms internationally hours after working regular hours for a much and instructs the General Council to campaign shorter period, such as 12 weeks. with other political parties to block any attempt Congress recognises the exploitation of to formalise any legislative change in respect of enforced zero-hours contracts particularly when further anti-trade union laws, should the there is an exclusivity clause attached and the Conservatives form the next government. long-term effects that the casualisation of Congress opposes any attempt to remove the labour will have on the individual and the right to take industrial action from any economy as a whole. “essential” or emergency service workers and Congress recognises the potential danger of any proposals to introduce the threshold for zero hours contracts in safety-critical industries, union strike ballots. Congress resolves to run a including rail freight, where increased major positive campaign explaining the casualisation has undermined health and safety. democratic importance of trade union rights, Congress believes that zero hours contracts and including the right to strike. the increased casualisation of labour are a major Mover: GMB threat to health and safety standards in many Seconder: Unite industries. Supporters: POA; National Union of Congress believes that workers on short- Teachers; Communication Workers Union; hours contracts should have a similar right to Fire Brigades’ Union contracts reflecting their regular hours. Congress believes that the Swedish Composite 16 Zero-hours contracts Derogation loophole in the Agency Workers Regulations needs to be abolished. and agency workers Congress agrees that zero-hours contracts Congress expresses its concern over the growing and agency workers’ rights will be campaigning misuse of zero-hours and short-hours contracts priorities in the year ahead and that the and the continuing exploitation of agency campaign will bring home to UK consumers the workers. damage to the quality of the service they Congress notes that the Office for National receive by employers’ over-reliance on such Statistics now acknowledges that there are at contracts, which have no concept of mutuality. least 1.4 million zero-hours contract workers. Congress rejects the claims made for the The exploitation of workers through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill widespread misuse of zero-hours and short- that it will deal with exclusivity. Loopholes in hours contracts needs to be tackled. In addition, the government’s proposals would allow 32
Section 1: Congress decisions
unscrupulous employers to offer exclusive ZHCs national insurance contributions and holiday with a ‘guaranteed’ minimum number of hours, pay is rolled up into the rate, denying them paid even if the hours were insufficient to yield a leave. In many cases workers are paid the living wage. national minimum wage, with total pay Zero-hours contracts create an uncertain supplemented by expenses or performance- family income but in public services also lead to related pay. In some cases workers are placed on problems providing quality care, including no a zero-hours contract, with exclusivity clauses. paid travel time and fear of getting no work if Congress condemns the exploitative issues are raised. However, some councils have employment practices that maximise profits by adopted UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter to driving down the pay of supply teachers and improve care and employment conditions. other public sector workers. Congress deplores Congress agrees to lobby government and the victimisation, including the use of the Labour Party to abolish the use of zero- blacklisting, of agency workers who seek to hours contracts, except where expressly assert their statutory workplace rights. requested by the worker. Congress calls on the General Council to Mover: Union of Shop, Distributive and condemn the use of umbrella companies and to Allied Workers lobby the government to immediately introduce Seconder: Bakers, Food and Allied Workers measurers for this exploitative practice to end. Union Congress further calls on the General Council Supporters: Unite; UNISON; Associated to campaign for the eradication of all forms of Society of Locomotive Engineers and false self-employment and for the introduction Firemen; British Air Line Pilots’ Association of a simple form of employment status where workers are either an employee or genuinely Composite 17 Umbrella companies self-employed. Mover: Union of Construction, Allied Trades Congress notes that endemic false self- and Technicians employment has blighted the construction Seconder: National Union of Teachers industry for decades. The problem has recently Supporter: NASUWT become more acute due to the use of employment agencies and payroll companies. Congress further notes that in the 2014 Composite 18 Corporate governance Finance Bill the government introduced changes Congress believes that there is no logical reason that mean that workers engaged via an why our system of corporate governance should employment agency or payroll company and prioritise the interests of share traders over under the “supervision, direction or control by those of other stakeholders, nor why share any person” would be treated as an employee traders should occupy such a privileged position for tax purposes. in terms of their rights in relation to companies. Congress regrets that much of the Congress is not alone in this view and over construction industry is still exploiting workers the past decade fundamental questions have and denying them basic employment rights by been raised in separate reviews by Kay, Cox and forcing them to operate via umbrella Myners about the capacity of the modern companies. investment management industry, and its Congress further regrets that this form of preoccupation with quarterly results, to oversee exploitation has spread across private and public the governance of listed companies. sectors, with stable employment replaced by Congress believes that fundamental reform casual, precarious arrangements. Congress of the corporate governance system in the UK is deplores that in education supply teachers are necessary and increasingly urgent. Congress largely engaged through private umbrella endorses the TUC report Workers on Board: The agencies, offering low pay and negligible case for workers’ voice in corporate governance pension rights, draining funds from the public and calls for the following actions: purse for agency profits. i. Directors’ duties should be reframed to Workers employed via an umbrella company make directors’ primary duty the have to pay both employers and employees promotion of the long-term success of 33
Section 1: Congress decisions
the company, rather than prioritising concluded that health and safety law is fit for shareholders’ interests as at present. purpose. ii. Shareholders’ corporate governance Further, Congress notes that the triennial rights in relation to companies should review of the HSE concluded that support for be subject to a minimum period of two the HSE is a reflection of the impartiality and years of share ownership. independence it maintains in its regulatory and iii. Workers should be represented on other work, in addition to the professionalism company boards as full board members and technical competence of its staff. The and a legal requirement to establish a triennial review also concluded that the HSE’s system for this should be implemented. standard setting, regulatory, enforcement and iv. Time off and training should be funded advice functions form a mutually reinforcing to ensure that workers representatives whole. are able to fulfil their roles. Congress recognises the massive cuts to the v. There should be mandatory corporate HSE budget in recent years and the impact on its reporting on measures of good work, ability to undertake an effective inspection devised in consultation with regime. stakeholders, and which have at least Congress deplores the continuing erosion of equal weight to the financial metrics health and safety protection for workers across that currently predominate. the economy, and applauds the efforts of the vi. There should be mandatory introduction TUC to maintain safe workplaces in the UK in its of equal pay audits and a maximum pay dealings with government and the Health and ratio between the highest and lowest Safety Executive (HSE). paid workers in an organisation. In two years to 2013, 321 workers were killed Congress believes that giving workers a voice in in UK workplaces, 387,000 reportable absences company decision-making would be one resulted from workplace injury and 54 million important step toward creating the long-term working days were lost due to occupational corporate culture that is desperately needed in injury and disease, costing society an estimated the UK if we are to build a stronger and fairer £27.2bn. economy. Over the same period, employers’ strict Our long-run economic problems are well liability for safety breaches was abolished, the evidenced; now is the time to start shaping the RIDDOR reporting threshold was raised from solutions and Congress calls upon the General three to seven days, the HSE’s budget was cut by Council to continue its campaign for better more than 30 per cent, and large sections of the corporate governance. economy were defined as “low-risk”, where no Mover: Accord proactive HSE inspections are now conducted. Seconder: Prospect In 2014, the Deregulation Bill began progress Supporter: British Air Line Pilots’ through Parliament, including provision for the Association UK’s 4.5 million self-employed workers to be exempted from all health and safety legislation, Composite 19 Health and safety unless their sector or activity was included in a prescribed list held by the HSE. A draft list Congress celebrates the 40th anniversary of the revealed that a large proportion of the self- 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act. It agrees employed were to be denied full health and that Lord Robens’ approach has stood the test safety protection, despite being three times of time, that the key principles of universal more likely than employees to die at work. coverage and employers’ liability are just as This attack on the Health and Safety at Work important now as they were 40 years ago and Act (HSWA) will cause chaos, exposing workers that effective regulation through the HSE to further workplace dangers. In industries such provides a fair and accepted platform for as construction, unscrupulous employers will tell commercial success. Every £1 spent on UK health workers that they cannot seek compensation for and safety regulation benefits the economy by workplace injuries as they are no longer covered £2.35, and all three reviews commissioned by by the HSWA. government in the last four years have 34
Section 1: Congress decisions
Congress therefore calls upon the General the full protections of the national minimum Council to: wage and the Equality Act, which has allowed i. campaign for proper resourcing of the the undercutting of employment standards. HSE so that it can fulfil all its key This has led to shocking examples of functions effectively while maintaining exploitation, such as seafarers working in UK regulatory integrity waters being paid £2.41 an hour and living on ii. campaign for all workplaces to be ships for the entirety of the four-month subject to regular inspection by contract, with no shore leave. enforcing authority and encourage the Congress is appalled this exploitation is HSE to work with local authorities to taking place while the shipping industry ensure that inspections are targeted on benefits substantially from the UK Tonnage Tax the significant risks for the sectors they System and other forms of state aid. enforce Congress is concerned that undercutting and iii. publicise the achievements of the 1974 exploitation is also a growing feature of the Health and Safety at Work Act, offshore industry specifically in the supply, including the role played by health and standby, and windfarm sectors. safety representatives Congress calls for a new Maritime and iv. campaign for effective rights for health Offshore Act which would include: and safety representatives to protect the i. all those employed in the UK maritime safety of employees based at work sites and offshore sectors being fully not directly owned by their employer protected by UK employment and v. oppose this historic set-back exactly 40 working time legislation, regardless of years after the Health and Safety at nationality Work Act was enacted and to lobby for ii. taxpayer support for these industries the restoration of health and safety being directly linked to the creation and legislation for all self-employed workers retention of UK jobs and skills in the vi. call for the new government post May sector 2015 to review changes made to the iii. improved safety legislation, including 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act equal arrangements for seafarer, since 2010. offshore and land-based safety Mover: Prospect representatives Seconder: Broadcasting, Entertainment, iv. the adoption of Norwegian safety Cinematograph and Theatre Union standards in the UK offshore sector in Supporters: Union of Shop, Distributive and respect of the powers of safety reps. Allied Workers; Union of Construction, Mover: National Union of Rail, Maritime and Allied Trades and Technicians; Community; Transport Workers Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Seconder: Nautilus International
Composite 20 Maritime and offshore Composite 21 Public transport for all industry Congress reiterates its support for Congress believes the maritime and offshore renationalisation of a wholly integrated railway industries should be essential in supporting UK and for continued public ownership of London employment and the UK skills base. Underground. Congress is therefore deeply concerned at the Congress notes most of the private operators continued decline in UK seafarers, which have on the railway who have fleeced passengers and fallen by nearly 30 per cent in the last two years the taxpayer are the same operators who to under 9,000 ratings and fewer than 12,000 dominate our bus industry. officers. In this 100-year anniversary of the first Congress notes this decline has largely been publicly owned buses, Congress believes a caused by the failure to protect the UK’s ferry publicly owned bus industry is the best way to and offshore sectors from unfair competition provide affordable, accessible and regular bus and the continued exclusion of seafarers from services. 35
Section 1: Congress decisions
Congress condemns the EU’s continued drive threatening legal action against a future Labour to privatise public transport and welcomes the government doing this. TUC’s support for campaigning against this Congress calls for: agenda. i. early and sustained discussions Congress notes research and passenger between affiliates and government so surveys continue to show passengers want that transport workers can play a full properly staffed stations, trains and role in shaping transport policy infrastructure to provide more efficient, safer ii. the next government to introduce a and reliable services. Transport Act for an integrated, Congress pays tribute to transport workers publicly owned transport network, for taking strike action to defend passenger supported by long-term stable services and safety and welcomes the public funding, and consideration of big support for this action. Congress agrees to business paying their share through continue to support affiliates taking such action. such measures as a Land Value Tax. Congress congratulates the TUC and the Congress calls on the General Council to: trade unions that make up Action for Rail (AfR) a. consider how the rail union/Action for for the diverse range of campaigning and Rail campaign can be continued beyond research activities that have been undertaken in the 2015 general election connection with promoting public ownership b. continue working with affiliates, for Britain’s railways. community groups and passengers to Of particular note is the Keep East Coast campaign for a publicly owned rail Public campaign that has sought to build network that works in the social, community and passenger links to oppose the economic and environmental interests coalition government’s determination to of all citizens. privatise the one publicly owned passenger train Mover: National Union of Rail, Maritime and operator just two months before the next Transport Workers general election. That privatisation is for Seconder: Transport Salaried Staffs’ politically ideological reasons alone and comes Association despite the success that the government-owned franchise has been able to demonstrate, leading Emergency 1 Situation in Ukraine the Office of Rail Regulation to call it the most Congress notes the comments of the NATO ‘cost-efficient’ franchise. Additionally, and in Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on stark contrast to the privately owned train the day of the NATO summit on 4th September operators that pay most of their profits to 2014, that the summit was taking place in a shareholders, East Coast reinvests all of its "dramatically changed security environment". profits for the benefit of passengers and Congress further notes that these comments workers. follow the announcement on 3rd September The success of the AfR campaign to date can 2014 from the Pentagon that the US was be measured by the strenuous efforts that the sending 200 US soldiers to Ukraine for “training industry’s Rail Delivery Group is now making to exercises”, the first time that U.S. ground troops justify maintaining the failed privatised system have been in the region since hostilities began. without willingly recognising that it is propped Congress also notes the UN Refugee Agency up by record government investment and an warning on 2nd September that the fighting to annual taxpayer subsidy of £4bn, at a time date has displaced more than a million people when fares paid by passengers have reached and that absurd heights, often outstripping wage rises. “...If the crisis is not quickly stopped, it will Congress welcomes Labour’s commitment to have not only devastating humanitarian reviewing the failed franchising process. consequences, but it also has the potential to Congress believes that to safeguard passengers destabilize the whole region...after the lessons and taxpayer interests, lines must be taken into of the Balkans, it is hard to believe a conflict of public ownership including as franchises expire. these proportions could unfold in the European Congress condemns rail industry attempts to continent.” undermine political/democratic processes by 36
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Congress is concerned that the crisis has also i. urgently lobby all government ministers, witnessed attacks on trade unionists and the asking them to continue to provide empowering of fascists groups, including the check-off arrangements in their Odessa Massacre which saw that City’s trade departments union centre burned to the ground. ii. lobby the Labour Party to include in In light of the dangerous and urgent their election manifesto a statutory right situation in Ukraine, Congress calls for: to have union subscriptions deducted i. the General Council to hold an urgent through salary by check-off meeting to consider how best to support iii. launch a campaign to defend the right to those fighting for trade union rights and check-off and counter the government against fascism in the Ukraine anti-union rhetoric in the media. ii. an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Mover: Public and Commercial Services Ukraine and a peaceful, negotiated Union settlement Seconder: POA iii. opposition to the use of British forces in the Ukrainian conflict Emergency 3 René González denied a National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers visa to visit Britain Congress notes that: i. twenty-nine Members of Parliament Emergency 2 Check-off have invited René González, the first of Congress notes with concern that on 1 the Miami Five to be freed, to visit the September 2014 the Home Office announced UK this week the withdrawal of check-off with effect from 1 ii. he was due to speak to our Congress in December 2014. Liverpool as well as at a meeting at the Since the end of July a number of civil service House of Commons departments have announced that they are iii. the British government have denied a considering ending check-off. Congress notes visa to René González that the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis iv. despite three legal appeals, including a Maude, urged government departments to Judicial Review on Friday 5 September, review check-off and has stated that it is the courts have refused to overturn the undesirable. decision of the Home Secretary. A number of government departments have Mr González has received visas to visit other consulted civil service unions, with a view to European Union countries including France and giving three months notice of the withdrawal of Portugal, meaning that Britain appears to be check-off. PCS sought assurances from the only member state continuing to punish him departments that they would continue with and the campaign for the freedom of the check-off. However, by 31 August, all remaining three members of the Miami Five. departments had refused to give such Congress therefore urges the General Council assurances. to: If check-off facilities are withdrawn in a. protest this decision in the strongest government departments this will give the possible terms directly to the Home green light to employers across the public Office and ask them to grant a visa to sector, and private companies, to withdraw René González, a Cuban man who spent from check-off arrangements. 13 years in a US jail for trying to defend Congress believes that check-off is an his country against terrorism important and well established trade union b. work with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign right, and notes that withdrawing check-off has and others to ensure that this ban is been used by right-wing regimes as an attempt overturned and that René González is to undermine trade union membership and allowed to visit Britain as soon as income. possible. Congress calls on the TUC to: Mover: Unite Seconder: National Union of Teachers 37
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Part 2 Motions lost
78 Trades Union Councils’ Conference delegate to Congress Congress has major concerns that the motion from the 2013 Trades Union Councils’ Conference, “Supporting Local Campaigning”, chosen to go to Congress 2013, and passed by delegates at Congress, has since been put on the back burner by the General Council. This General Council “reservation” apparently rules out bullet point 3 contained in the motion that a trades union council delegate attends TUC Congress and moves the Trades Union Councils’ Conference motion as a delegate. Congress deplores the decision of the General Council of the TUC to confirm the “reservation” concerning the Trades Union Councils’ Conference successful motion to the 2013 TUC Congress. Congress further calls for immediate action by the General Council on the full implementation of this motion. TUC Trades Union Councils’ Conference
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This makes it harder for the government to Part 3 argue that their political programme is driven General Council by economic necessity. Instead, it exposes it as a political choice to reduce the size of the state, Statements permanently cut and privatise services and institutionalise an unequal society. This has led to a huge gap between those at the top that The TUC Campaign Plan have hardly been touched by the slump and the Congress reaffirms its support for the TUC’s rest, particularly those at the bottom in a Campaign Plan launched on May Day 2013 and growing insecure, casualised part of the labour unaminously backed at last year’s Congress. market characterised by zero-hours contracts, We recognise the progress that has been bogus self-employment and agency work and made by our campaign for a new economy, insecurity. decent jobs and fair pay, public services and We can therefore expect a renewed political welfare fit for the 21st century, stronger rights offensive to try to justify policies that have been and unions, and corporate governance reform rejected when put at previous elections. This to deliver more democracy at work. will lead to increased scapegoating of We welcome the campaign activities that unemployed and disabled people, migrants and have been organised by the TUC and affiliates public sector workers. Public services will be over the past year, and the progress and plans undermined as we can see through the for the year ahead set out in the General increased attacks on the NHS, where the effects Council Report and Campaign Plan update. In of cuts are misrepresented as problems inherent particular, we welcome the achievements of Fair to a national taxpayer-funded service. The Pay Fortnight, the Saving our Safety Net welfare safety net will come under renewed campaign, joint working with affiliates across attack to pave the way for the further cuts public service sectors, work to expose insecure announced by the Chancellor. work such as abusive zero-hours contracts, and Above all we can expect further attacks on the coordination of union action to defend pay our movement as staunch opponents of such and services. policies and champions of an alternative. Plans Congress calls on unions to consider how best to introduce restrictions that will make they can step up the campaign, and work industrial action close to impossible and allow together as a united movement to bring about the routine surveillance of union activists will its objectives, including through support for the feature in the Conservative Party manifesto. 18 October Britain Needs A Pay Rise Our movement’s task is to step up our efforts demonstration. to put the popular practical policies designed to Congress recognises that the next general tackle inequality, as set out in the Campaign election will be a crucial one for the country, as Plan, at the heart of the 2015 General Election it will determine the kind of economy we build debate and to urge political parties to adopt after the financial crash. them. Austerity economics have made Britain’s We will work to expose the unbalanced recovery from the 2008 crash the most delayed nature of the recovery, oppose tax dodgers as in recent history. The government has tried to we argue for a fair tax system, and campaign pass some of the blame onto the Eurozone, for a million new council and affordable homes, whose economic problems are the result of root and branch banking reform, a jobs similar austerity policies across Europe. Living guarantee for the young and a transformed standards, which were in decline even before Apprenticeship and skills system. We need a the recession, have now been depressed for new economy that can generate fulfilling, well- longer than any period since the 1870s. paid jobs that deliver decent living standards But while economic growth has returned, the and a strong tax base. This will require new benefits have not fed through to wage packets, approaches not just at the UK level, but public services or large parts of the country throughout the EU and international outside the prosperous parts of London and the institutions. south-east. 39
Section 1: Congress decisions
We will continue to expose Britain’s cost of them damaged or destroyed, and have nowhere living crisis, oppose the growing gap between to go. those at the top and the rest, demand a higher Congress welcomes the ceasefire negotiated minimum wage and the spread of the living between the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and wage and help unions extend their collective the Israeli Government, as called for in the bargaining power to fight pay caps and freezes, General Council statement in July, and and win fair pay. recognises the partial relaxation of the blockade We will resist planned spending cuts – half of of Gaza, but recognises that it will not be which are still to come under current sufficient unless the blockade of Gaza and government plans – and continue to defend occupation of the West Bank are resolved in line properly funded, publicly owned and with UN resolutions. Congress deplores the democratically run public services, step up our announcement by the Israel Defence Forces’ defence of the welfare state and press for a Civil Administration on 31 August of further comprehensive child and adult care system. annexations of land for settlement construction We will continue to expose the growth of in the West Bank, allegedly as a response to the vulnerable employment and defend workers’ kidnapping and killing of three Jewish teens by rights both in the UK and round the world. In Hamas militants in the area in June. This is a particular, we will step up our campaign to shocking provocation that will redraw the map scrap employment tribunal fees that price of the West Bank and can only stoke up further workers out of justice. We will argue for a resentment. strong employee voice in the workplace with Congress particularly deplores attacks on UN representation up to and including facilities, including the attacks on seven UNWRA remuneration committees and company boards, schools between 21 July and 3 August which in line with best practice across the rest of killed more than 50 people and injured over Europe. 300, and notes the UNOCHA’s regular reports of Everyone has a right not to be discriminated the terrible damage done to properties, against on grounds of their class, race, gender, infrastructure and people. sexuality, disability or age and our campaign Congress believes that international law will reflect and promote a diverse approach to against the targeting of civilians must be securing improvements both at work and in enforced, and that those responsible for society, and expose the disproportionate effects breaches of such law should be dealt with in the of cuts on groups already subject to International Criminal Court. We welcome the discrimination. UN Human Rights Council’s announcement of A formidable union presence is the best way an independent Commission of Inquiry to of giving working people decent standards at investigate purported violations of international work, and a strong and diverse movement is humanitarian and human rights laws in the essential if we are to challenge austerity Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East effectively and build a more equitable society. Jerusalem, and particularly in the Gaza Strip Building stronger unions will be at the heart of since the conflict began. We reiterate our the campaign and Congress commits to ensure condemnation of the collective punishment of that this goal underpins all that we do. the residents of Gaza. Congress welcomes the creation of a unity government for the Palestinian Authority, which Gaza necessarily involves both Fatah and Hamas, and Congress deplores the fact that since 7 July, over urges the UK government and the European two thousand Palestinians have been killed, two Union to support this development, in the thirds of them civilians and including many context of the TUC’s longstanding support for a people going about their daily work, as well as two-state solution based on security for both nearly 500 children, and 69 Israelis, four of Israel and Palestine and justice for the whom were civilians. Tens of thousands of Palestinian people. Congress resolves to step up residents of Gaza have fled their homes or seen the campaign for a free Palestine, and welcomes the ITUC Day of Action for Gaza held on 7 August and the demonstrations for peace 40
Section 1: Congress decisions
organised across the UK by the Palestine to assist them in rebuilding their organisations Solidarity Campaign and others. in Gaza. We will seek the support of the ETUC We deplore racism, descrimination and hate and ITUC for the policies set out in this crimes of any form, including anti-semitism, statement, and support the calls of the ETUC such as attacks on synagogues. and ITUC for a just settlement to the problems Congress considers the response of the UK of the Middle East. government, the EU and the UN to Israel’s attack on Gaza has been unacceptable. We join with Amnesty International, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and others in calling on the UK government and the EU to end immediately arms trading with Israel including all military- industrial collaboration. The TUC should, working with the relevant unions, press those companies involved in supporting Israel’s military to cease to do so. Congress reiterates its call for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement until the rights of the Palestinians are established, and calls on the Israeli state to pay for humanitarian assistance and rebuilding Gaza. We encourage unions and their members to give generously to international trade union humanitarian aid funds aimed at providing assistance to the people of Gaza and urge Global Union Federations to seek affiliation from Palestinian unions, as many already have. Congress commits to raise the pressure on corporations complicit in arms trading, the settlements, occupation and the wall by organising a seminar for affiliated unions to consider strategies – such as worker capital strategies including pension funds – to put pressure on complicit corporations to cease to do so and withdraw from the Occupied Territories. Congress agrees to work with the international trade union movement and workplace representatives to co-ordinate such action against complicit corporations. We reiterate our encouragement to unions to affiliate to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, urge union members to join the PSC Trade Union network, and agree to organise, jointly with the PSC, a trade union conference in 2015 to review progress on the action points listed above. Congress reiterates its solidarity with the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, and our commitment to visit Gaza with the PGFTU as soon as is practicable. We will continue to be guided by the PGFTU and encourage unions to revitalise their contacts with sister organisations in Palestine, especially 41
Section 2 Keynote Speeches
The following pages contain a record of key speeches given at the 146th Congress in Liverpool, by the General Secretary, the President, and guests Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, and Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
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much-hyped government inquiry into trade Frances O’Grady, unions and our so-called ‘extreme’ tactics. You General Secretary remember, that review even failed to mention the real scandal of blacklisting. Apparently, and you can heckle at this point – it’s the only point Monday, 8 September 2014, Liverpool in my speech when you can heckle – the brains I have always believed that at its heart trade behind the review was the Cabinet Minister, unionism is about friendship between working Francis Maude. He’s a man who, apparently, people. So I want to give my sincere thanks to believes that an inflatable plastic rat posed a you, President, for all your encouragement over real threat to public safety, a bigger threat to 25 years to me. Thank you. I also want to place public safety, presumably, than when he advised on the record of Congress – we will be playing the public to fill up their garages with jerry cans tribute to him tomorrow – my personal full of petrol. It seems that the review has more condolences to the family and the union of Bob or less shut up shop, citing a lack of evidence Crow. Bob may be gone but his spirit lives on. from employers and a progressively politicised In moving the General Council Statement I environment. This, of course, followed the want to explain why this is an important Conservative Party’s announcement that they moment both for our movement’s – and our plan to attack union rights, regardless of country’s – history. But, first, I want to take a anything the review says. moment to celebrate what we’ve achieved since As a consequence, the review chair, Mr Bruce we last met. Let us start by paying tribute to Carr QC, is now saying that he will not make any our elected workplace reps and shop stewards, recommendations, not one. In fact, if I didn’t who are dedicated to supporting fellow know better, I’d say that Mr Carr had embarked workers, from winning agreements with on his own personal work to rule. employers that give a quarter-of-a-million Delegates, today I will be writing to the Chair workers new learning opportunities, saving jobs of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret and making our workplaces safer, to standing Hodge, to ask how much taxpayers’ hard earned up against bigots and bullies. I am very, very cash has been wasted on this Conservative Party proud of the work that our reps do. political stunt. And I know, delegates, that you Secondly, we’ve also achieved in that we’ve will join me in demanding that they pay back put that cost of living crisis centre stage on the ever single penny. But, frankly, over the coming public policy agenda in a way that no weeks we all know that we can expect plenty newspaper and no politician can any longer more of the same from where that little exercise ignore. In the private sector, from the car in spin and smear came from, because today workers at Cowley, using their strength to there are just 240 days to go before the general support contract cleaners, to the devoted staff election which is one of the most important in of Care UK, and to those magnificent young which any of us will have a vote. It’s a workers at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, all fundamental choice about the kind of country campaigning for a living wage, they are all that we want to be, not just for the next few proof that solidarity workers. And at rallies and years but for a generation. This is the moment picket lines, from Newcastle to Newquay, we’ve when we get to shape our own future. also proved that public service workers won’t Ever since the bankers crashed the economy, take cuts lying down, whether it’s fire-fighters, the big question has been what would replace school staff, transport workers, benefit advisers, it? We found out the hard way that a let-the- NHS workers and council workers. The TUC is market-rip model can’t deliver decent living proud of all our public service workers. They do standards, homes and public services. It can’t a tough job in tough times. And let me say this: deliver patient capital, productivity or prosperity it’s high time this government gave them in which ordinary people share. All it’s fit for is respect as well as the pay rise that they are due. piling yet more riches on to a privileged few. Last but not least, we saw off some of the Economic growth is back but there’s no sign worst of that Big Brother Lobbying Bill that of it in people’s pay packets. In fact, we know sought to gag not just unions but charities too. the gap has got worse. Chief executives of the And then, of course, this year there was that biggest companies now earn 175 times the 43
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wages of the average worker. So, come the regressive and downright cruel policy since the election, we all face a choice. Are we going to Poll Tax. settle for a nastier and poorer Britain, a Delegates, the truth is that three-quarters of Downton Abbey-style society, in which the welfare cuts are hitting people who are in work. living standards of the vast majority are Working parents, who already dread opening sacrificed to pay for the high living of the well ever gas and electricity bill when it comes to do, where the blame is heaped on the most through the letterbox, are now losing a vulnerable – migrants and claimants – while the thousand pounds or more in child benefit and powerful and the privileged sit pretty? Or are tax credit cuts. Think about all those children we going to seize the opportunity, and build a who didn’t even get a trip to the seaside this new and fair economy that provides the people year. No chillaxing in Cornwall, like the Prime of this country with good, skilled and secure Minister, for them. It’s time that the jobs, a civilised society that provides decent government came clean. They are deliberately welfare, and the nurseries and adult social care hacking away at our welfare safety net. that families need, and a true democracy in Nothing demonstrates that better than the five- which we all enjoy fundamental rights and week benefit wait under Universal Credit. No freedoms and where we have as real say over matter for how long you’ve worked, no matter how our lives are run? how much you’ve paid in, if you lose your job Now the economy is recovering, any you will have to wait five weeks before you reasonable person might think that this is the even see a penny. It’s welfare for Wonga – a time that a government would help repair policy guaranteed to line the pockets of loan household budgets and share the proceeds of sharks. growth more fairly. But the jobs that are being I have to mention this point. What was the created too often are low paid and insecure. advice of the Employment Minister, Ester McVay While there’s nothing wrong with being to the young unemployed? Did you see what genuinely self employed, working on the lump she said. She said: “They’ve got to be realistic. for half the pay is no foundation for a strong They could get a job in Costa or they could go economy. and work in Dubai”? Delegates, I think I have This is a government that appears intensely heard it all. I remember when we were told to relaxed about young people stuck in unpaid get on our bikes, but being told to get a ticket internships, dead-end jobs and wasting their on an Easyjet to the Middle East is something talents and education. George Osborne has else entirely. (Applause) This brand of been clear. He has absolutely no intention of Conservatism is the enemy of aspiration, relieving the pressure on public services. In fact, because as inequality soars, social mobility has we’ve already seen severe cuts, but we, quite hit reverse. We are seeing silver spoons ever literally, haven’t yet seen the half of it, with £12 more firmly clamped in the mouths of those billion worth of cuts still to come under this who were born with them. Whether it’s the government. The NHS is already buckling under judiciary, the media, business or public life, the strain, despite the so-called ring fence. wearing the old school tie means you’re more What’s worse? As I have to say, remember what than 10 times more likely to reach the top. those absolutely brilliant mums from Darlington Under this government, class prejudice is showed when they were on the march. What’s becoming respectable once again. Think about worse is that privatisation is corrupting the core the mixed housing apartment blocks forcing principles of public service and wasting billions. social housing tenants to use a separate Then, of course, there’s welfare. Of course, entrance, the so-called poor door! The shame! people get fed up when the read in some of the According to the Family and Childcare Trust, papers about the tiny minority who cheat the private nurseries are refusing to offer publicly system, just like they resent corporations which subsidised places to children from the wrong cheat on tax, but there is still strong support for side of the tracks because wealthy parents don’t a decent welfare system in this country, and want their children to mix with them. While ministers are getting found out, just as we saw youth unemployment is still too high, the with the bedroom tax, the nastiest, most Government may boast that record numbers of young people are entering university, but what 44
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they don’t tell you is that it’s Brideshead when the emperor is wearing no clothes, and Revisited for the few but decades of debt for that we have intelligent, credible policy the rest. Think, too, about that basic principle alternatives based on our values of equality and of democracy, any democracy: equality before democracy. Above all, they are afraid that we the law. can mount formidable opposition to the If a burglar robbed your house, even if that damaging flexible market free-for-all policies house was a mansion, the victim wouldn’t be that they want to see implemented. That’s why expected to pay up front for the privilege of we must make the Britain Needs a Pay Rise seeing that burglar in court. So if a boss robs a demonstration on October 18th a brilliant, worker of holiday pay, why on earth should that peaceful and massive show of our strength, all worker have to find more than £1,000 to see the more so because now we know that unions justice done in an employment tribunal? It’s are firmly in their firing line. plain wrong that workers are priced out of Only authoritarian regimes attack union justice. So, delegates – let’s demand it -- we rights, but that is precisely what the want those employment tribunal fees scrapped Conservative Party has promised to do. After once and for all. The truth is that we are all, how else to defend an undeserving elite witnessing a regeneration of the class society in than by demonising democratic dissent? The new forms for sure, with financiers increasingly Conservative Party’s proposals on industrial dominating the wealthy elite and a growing action are draconian. They set an arbitrary number of graduates finding themselves stuck ballot threshold that no other democratic in the ranks of the low paid, but a class system election in Britain is required to meet. Make no none the less that bears down on working mistake, delegates, they intend to ban strikes by people’s voice and aspirations. the back door. And new rules about ballots will The new Conservative Party is a case in point. give employers new ways to use the courts. We You may remember this summer that the Prime already have very tough public order laws in the Minister had to abandon plans to rebrand his UK, but now we face new criminal offences for party as one of “opportunity” when, after industrial disputes. That will give authorities searching high and low for MPs of humble licence to snoop on trade unionists, using all the origin, he could only find 14. Then, of course, technology and surveillance techniques which there was that difference of opinion with Edward Snowden warned of. This flies in the Baroness Warsi. She resigned in protest at the face of fundamental values that I believe the Prime Minister’s policy on Gaza, a humanitarian people of this country hold dear, values of crisis that we will be debating later this week. fairness and freedom. These proposals But she said something else of interest. She represent a threat, not just to working people accused the Conservatives of having a problem, and their unions but to everyone who cares and I quote, “with brown working-class women about civil liberties and democracy. Let me from the north.” In my opinion, that’s a little promise you this, delegates: the TUC will fight unfair. They don’t much like working-class them every step of the way. women from the south, either. But it is the Altogether, this adds up to perhaps the most sheer snobbery which Baroness Warsi rightly radical right-wing programme put at an election complained of which, in part, explains why the for a generation. It would make us even more Conservative Party has made such a fetish out of unequal where trade agreements like TTIP are attacking the only institutions in this country giving multi-national corporations free rein to that were set up to be run by and for working rip our precious public services apart. It would people – trade unions. That and fear! be a country where not the lowest paid but Because while it may not always feel like it, where the great working majority struggle to be in no doubt, they are afraid of us. Afraid make ends meet, where millions more are that, while most of us don’t care – we don’t care trapped in casual work, never knowing what – what background you come from, we take they are going to earn each week and where people as we find them, but we do not accept workers’ rights and liberties are trampled on. that a public school education makes some Worst of all, a country, just like a dictatorship, people our betters. They are afraid that we see that stops its unions from doing anything about through government spin; that we point out it. 45
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So if there is one message from this Congress, it is this for sure: the next election matters. We have to decide who will measure up to the aspirations of working people as set out in our campaign plan, unanimously endorsed by this Congress. Who do we most trust to really deliver a real industrial policy so that we rebuild manufacturing, reform the banks, cut carbon and end the North-South divide? Ask yourself, who respects the need not just for a higher minimum wage or even a living wage, but collective bargaining so that we can deliver fair wage? Who will give us fair taxes and tackle boardroom greed? Who will listen to our case for workers to have a voice, not only on top pay committees but – just like most of Europe – up to and including on company boards? Who will promise to build one million new homes? Who values welfare? Who really cares about the old, the sick and the disabled? Who is really going to get tough on zero hours and agency abuses? And who will give our children a brighter future with genuine apprenticeships and a youth jobs guarantee? The choice is clear. If you value our NHS, if you value our public services, if you value a decent standard of living, if you value the right of the many to band together against the power of the might few, it’s time for us to stand up and be counted. This is the biggest battle in my lifetime, and we know that they won’t give up power without a fight. We know that it won’t be a clean fight, but let me tell you this. I believe that everybody in this hall is determined. I believe that justice is on our side. I believe that working people will win, and so together, I want us, delegates, to send out a message from the hall: let’s tell them, loud and clear: bring it on! Thank you.
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is growth but the only growth I see is the Mohammad Taj, number of food banks. The main charity report President tells us that almost one million people received food parcels last year. What does Iain Duncan Smith say: people are using them because they Sunday, 7 September 2014, Liverpool are there. No, Mr. Duncan Smith, people are Sisters and brothers, this is our last Congress using them because they are hungry. before the general election, an election that I They tell us that there is less unemployment believe, and probably you do as well, will be the but we know that jobs worth having are being most important election since 1945. Make no replaced by zero-hours contracts and phoney mistake, it is going to be the fight of our lives, a self-employment. We are almost back to the fight we can and must win. times when dock workers were given a brass Sisters and brothers, we know that the Tories tally that meant they would have work that day. are gearing up to finish the job that Thatcher As Len points out, the bosses would cynically started in the eighties. She sold off our utilities throw these tallies into the air and watch while and this lot are hell-bent on selling off the rest. workers would scrabble to pick them up. Not They claim there is no money but the reality is having a tally would mean that their families they are redistributing our wealth to their would go hungry. friends, to their cronies, and to their funders. It Now, in the 21st century, workers have to is a bit ironic. They must be having a laugh. We wait anxiously for a text to tell them if they are were supposed to be doing the redistribution. I hired or not required. It might not be the dock think they might have stolen our Clause Four! gate, but the effects are still as humiliating. The Tories have always been good at taking They may be called employees, but they will not care of their own but, first, before I go on, have a written statement of terms and please let me thank Len from Unite, who with conditions and they will not have protection the union has provided massive support. Many against unfair dismissal. Congress, it is a thanks to Frances, who is an inspiration and a disgrace. We should not dignify zero-hours tower of strength. Thanks also to the TUC staff, with the term “contract” since the bosses have and also my employer, First Bradford, who no obligations and the workers have no rights. continue to pay my bus driver’s salary. To tell To add salt to the wound of job insecurity, an you the truth, I still do not know if it was important lifeline provided by an employment because they were proud to have one of their tribunal has been cut off from employees. drivers in such a prestigious role, or they were When this government look at employment just glad to see the back of me for 12 months. tribunals or health and safety legislation, they And last, but definitely not least, thanks to do not see protection, they see red tape to be my wife, Naseem. She is here today. Back in the abolished or made too expensive for workers to 1970s it was common practice on the Asian afford. subcontinent to have arranged marriages. We In the battle to counter job insecurity and were a bit hippy, we both had long hair. She ever-growing inequality we need strong trade still does and, as you can see, I do not. That was unions, trade union freedoms and collective not our only rebellion. We both rebelled bargaining. None of us are surprised that this against arranged marriages and chose each bankrupt government is continuing its attacks other. After 41 years, she knows we are still on trade unions, their latest demand being that madly in love with each other. I want to thank unions have to cross a 50 per cent plus threshold her publicly for her help and encouragement. I before strike action yet they are happy enough know I would have not got to where I am today to take their seats in the House of Parliament without her support. Naseem, thank you. with less than 24 per cent: hypocrisy, pure Congress, the issue that is likely to dominate hypocrisy. our political debate must be the terrible I could go on and talk about the attempt by this Coalition government to demonisation of immigrants or the hated dismantle our public services. They are covering bedroom tax that destroys lives, and public up the race to the bottom by cooking the services that are struggling as the cuts continue books. They are trying to convince us that there to bite. Living standards are falling, prices are 47
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rising and wages are stagnating. That is the that touches millions of lives. We can all be hard truth of this so-called economic recovery. incredibly proud of what we do. Thank you, When the unemployment figures were released, and have a great Congress. Iain Duncan Smith boasted that the Tories’ long- term economic plan was working. I have only one question, who is it working for because it is not us, we are not feeling it. No, the real story of those unemployment figures is the calamity of falling wages. The economic recovery does not benefit the many; it benefits only a few rich. We have a critical role to play in shaping the battle for the hearts and minds of the British public. Next month we are holding our major national demonstration. One demand, Britain needs a pay rise to end low pay. On wages, on the economy, as with so much else, it is time for change. In 1945, the Labour government, faced with economic difficulties that we can hardly begin to imagine, remained true to their values. In just six years, Clem Attlee, the Labour Prime Minister, created our welfare state, launched our National Health Service and built homes fit for heroes. As if that was not enough, he transferred key national industries into public ownership, including our railways. Delegates, social security, the NHS, housing, industry and transport, seven decades on these issues remain crucial. That is why I want Labour to be bold, to give workers hope for a better future, and to rekindle the spirit of 1945. Congress, I hold our movement dear to my heart. I first got involved in the T&G after I started working for Bradford City Transport in 1974. I became a shop steward and I have spent over a decade on the TUC’s General Council. To be part of that movement has been a huge privilege. Today, I represent 650 bus drivers, engineers, cleaners, and clerical staff, some of them who are here today as observers, ordinary, extraordinary, men and women whose labour keeps our economy moving. These workers, and others like them, make trade unionism what it is, a powerful force for social and economic justice. My father was a labourer. He worked the land and there were times when he was so wretchedly tired he could not even eat. He told me not to forget my roots. He said being in the union is not only about wages and conditions for yourself, it is a noble endeavour. Congress, he was right. He was damned right. He would have been proud of me. We have a movement 48
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need our companies taking the strategic Mark Carney, Governor initiatives to grow productivity because it is of the Bank of England productivity that will secure the real wage increases that the British workers deserve over the medium term. Tuesday, 9 September 2014, Liverpool As I have started to explain, and I think it is Thank you very much, Taj, and I would like to clear, the labour market is central to the Bank’s thank the Congress for that welcome and for decisions, decisions which have to take into this opportunity. President and Congress, it is, account both short-term fluctuations in truly, a great pleasure for me to address this employment and the profound changes that are Congress, it is a pleasure to be back in Liverpool sweeping labour markets across the advanced and it is an important time to discuss conditions economies. These changes include powerful in the UK labour market, and that is what I am demographic forces, notably the ageing of the going to focus on exclusively in my prepared workforce, increases in longevity and increased remarks. female participation. They include, as you were I am going to do that because as, you well just discussing, I think, how globalisation and know, the growth and distribution of jobs and new technologies are splitting production incomes matter to everyone. Employment does chains not just across companies but across much more than provide the means to support borders; how financial risk is steadily shifting to workers and their families. It is essential to employees from employers and the state and, personal fulfilment and human dignity, and part finally, how job polarisation is increasing; that is of that dignity is being paid a living wage. the phenomenon that the employment share of (Applause) During the past year, at the Bank of middle-skilled jobs is being reduced relative to England, we have ensured that we pay all of our higher and lower-skilled employment. So, staff at least the living wage, and we have collectively, all of these forces have been acting recently brought up all our contracted service for some time, they all affect the dynamism of staff in central London up to the London living our labour market and they affect the spending wage. Because it is important to get this patterns of families. As a central bank, the absolutely right, we are going through our final Bank of England has to assess the extent to review, but I want to make it absolutely clear which these structural changes have an impact that by the time of the next TUC Congress our on labour markets, on the economy and on intention is to become an accredited Living inflation, and we are grappling with what it Wage employer. means for monetary policy. That is not unique Of course, the Bank of England’s to us, it is the same across the advanced world, responsibilities for promoting the good of the it is the same in the US and it’s the same in people of the United Kingdom go much further Europe. than being a responsible employer. We manage The answer to these questions, the weight of monetary policy to achieve price stability; in these forces, are different in different other words, low, stable and predictable economies, and that is one reason why inflation, and we promote financial stability by monetary policy in the United States, in the regulating and supervising banks as well as euro area and here in the UK can be expected taking action to ensure against unsustainable to be less synchronished than in the future than indebtedness, such as we did earlier this year for they have been in recent years. the housing market. By maintaining price and Indeed, despite common underlying financial stability we put in place the influences, differences in how the labour foundations for sustainable job creation and markets of the major economies have income growth. It is that stability that gives performed in response to the Great Recession workers the confidence to invest in skills or to have been striking. Let us take the world’s change jobs, and it gives businesses the largest economy, which is still the United States, confidence to hire new workers, to invest in and take that as a benchmark. Unemployment new equipment, to introduce new products and there more than doubled during the recession. to pursue new markets. We, obviously, need While that unemployment rate has recently the right workers with the right skills, and we fallen back, the headline is much better than 49
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the details. The number of Americans in work Euro-area unemployment has risen sharply has only just returned to where it was before through two recessions. It now stands at over Lehman Brothers failed six years ago, even 11 per cent. It is over 14 per cent in Portugal, 20 though there are now 14 million more per cent in Spain and 25 per cent in Greece. Americans of working age. Much of the fall in There is a clear danger of a misplaced, if not the unemployment rate in the United States is lost, generation of workers in the US as well as the result of workers in their prime actually the euro area. leaving the labour force; in other words, giving Britain’s labour force and Britain’s trade up and stopping looking for work. In addition, unions deserve great credit for ensuring that far more vacancies remain unfilled than usual, this risk of a lost generation is much lower here indicating that there are big mismatches in the UK. By sharing the burden of the between skills and jobs in the labour market, recession, our economy is better positioned for and fewer people are switching jobs, suggesting the future, but the question you are asking is an ongoing reluctance to take risks. In short, whether we will seize this opportunity. the American labour market still is not working Before I talk a bit about how we could seize as it used to. that opportunity, I think it is helpful to Turning to the UK, even though times for understand a bit more why the UK labour many families here have been very tough, in market outperformed, or at least outperformed comparison to the United States, the UK labour in terms of employment. What happened was market has performed well. Despite a recession when the recession hit, naturally, the demand that was deeper and more prolonged than in for work fell but, surprisingly, the potential the United States, unemployment did not rise as supply of labour appears to have increased at much in the UK and it has fallen back almost as the same time. The number of additional sharply as it did in the US. More importantly, in people wanting to work actually overwhelmed contrast to the United States, this rapid fall in the longer-term effects of populating ageing. unemployment here has been accompanied by Why was that the case? It appears that the significantly higher participation rates. There greater risks and financial burdens that many are now one million more people in work in the families are now facing have been driving this UK than at the start of the crisis. But as this phenomenon. Changes to pension Congress knows, as the theme of this Congress arrangements have encouraged people to work illustrates, that exceptional employment longer. Reforms to the UK’s welfare system, performance has come at a cost. Wage growth including attaching job-search conditions to has been very weak. In fact, adjusted for welfare payments, are prompting those affected inflation, wages have fallen by around a tenth to seek work. But on top of all of that, sharp since the onset of the crisis. In order to find falls in wealth and increased uncertainty about such a fall in the past, you would have to go future incomes following the financial crisis back to the early 1920s. What has happened, in have undoubtedly forced many people to retire effect, has meant that the weakness of pay has later in order to compensate, and the scale of purchased that increased job creation. The the debts weighed on British households has burden, put another way, of the Great undoubtedly encouraged more people to work Recession has been shared across this country, and to work for longer. So the strong profits have been squeezed almost as much as performance of the UK’s labour market reflects labour costs, employees have seen their real in part people feeling compelled to work for incomes reduced but more people are in work financial or other reasons. as a result. Again, to your great credit, when British What has made the performance even more workers have been challenged, they haven’t remarkable is that we have faced the additional given up. Some have taken on less productive or challenge, unlike the Americans, of rebuilding lower-skilled jobs. Others are working part- competitiveness. If you look over the Channel time, some have become self-employed and to the euro area, they had a similar challenge others are prepared to do the same work for but they had to face that challenge with less less than they would have done. If you bring flexible labour markets and less flexibility in that together to wage pressures, wage pressures their currency. The results have been dire. based on past relationships are as low today as 50
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if the unemployment rate were 10 per cent, not target of 2 per cent consumer price inflation. the 6.4 per cent rate it currently is. Supporting jobs means helping the economy Basically, with more workers at competitive reach the maximum sustainable level of wages, companies have been encouraged to employment. What we have recognise, and this hire, and they have substituted labour for is the reason why I went through all of those capital across the economy. This dynamic – the dynamics and forces in the labour market, is substitution of labour for capital – has lowered that sustainable level of employment changes productivity, but that weak productivity growth over time. That is why, a little more than a year is not the result of laziness on anyone’s part. It’s ago, even though inflation had been above the natural consequence of so many people target for almost five years, even though wanting to work and companies employing growth was returning and was poised to them instead of investing in capital. accelerate, the Bank of England did not raise Although this adjustment has been painful, interest rates from their historic low of ½ per trading off lower productivity and lower wages cent. We did not raise interest rates because we for much higher – and it is much, much higher – recognised that the UK had a huge number of employment, on balance, that trade off unemployed and under-employed workers. We provides a solid foundation for a durable did not raise interest rates because we knew the expansion. By staying in work individuals retain economy was running below full capacity. We and learn new skills and they are better placed did not raise interest rates because we expected to participate in the expansion as it gathers inflation to fall back. We did not raise interest force. The consequence of all of this is that rates because we saw that confidence might Britain has an opportunity, seldom seen after a have been returning but we knew it remained deep and prolonged recession, to reach and fragile and, in short, we did not raise interest sustain a higher level of employment than in rates because we knew that the nascent the past, and workers have an opportunity now recovery that began about 15 months ago was to maximise their pay prospects. not yet secure. So what we did do was to use But you are, rightly, asking when will this the flexibility in our mandate to return inflation start? When will Britain get a pay rise? As to the target over a longer period than usual in employment approaches its new higher level, order to support sustainable jobs and growth. wage pressures should increase and capital In order to make our intentions clear, the investment should continue to recover. Bank committed not even to think about raising Productivity growth should pick up bringing the interest rates until unemployment fell back to higher, sustainable pay rises that British workers least 7 per cent. That so-called “forward deserve. Specifically, the Bank’s latest forecast guidance” gave businesses the confidence to expects real wage growth to resume around the hire and invest. It reassured households that middle of next year and then to accelerate as the cost of servicing their debts were not about the unemployment rate continues to fall to to rise suddenly just because the economy was around 5½ per cent over the next three years. returning to growth. By the end of our forecast, we see 4 per cent The effectiveness of that policy was nominal pay growth on average across the reinforced by actions taken to help heal the economy, and this is consistent both with our banks and the rest of the financial sector. The inflation target, which is our core mandate, and resultant recovery has exceeded all with the economy’s potential. expectations. It has momentum. Over 800,000 At the end of my remarks, I will touch on jobs have been created in the past year alone, how workers and employers can raise that and we expect robust economic growth of 3½ potential and, as a consequence, raise the size per cent this year and 3 per cent next. But that of that pay rise. But let me, first, turn to the is not enough. The challenge now is not to implications of all these developments for nurture a nascent recovery – we’ve done that – monetary policy. but the challenge now is to secure a durable As I said at the outset, one of our roles at the expansion and to make sure that this economy Bank of England is to deliver price stability and realises its full potential. to do so in a way that supports jobs and growth. Our price stability objective is clear: an inflation 51
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An obvious question is what does that mean accelerating inflation will return to where it was for interest rates? We are in a position where before the Great Recession in contrast to some many of the conditions, although not all, for the other major economies, and, thirdly, that there economy to normalise have now been met and, is scope for average hours that people work to with that, the point at which interest rates continue to increase. begin to normalise is getting closer. In recent In short, unlike the US and the euro area, the months the judgement about precisely when to British economy is likely to be able to sustain a raise bank rate from its historic low has become higher level of employment than in the past. more balanced. But the Bank does not have a Our uncertainty is less about the direction of pre-set course. However, the timing of these this change than about the magnitude. In order moves will depend on the data and how the to assess the magnitude of this change, this economy evolves. higher level of employment and to assess its Moreover, the precise timing of the first rate implications for inflation, we are tracking a rise is much less important than our expectation range of indicators including those of the that, when rates do begin to rise, those prospective path for wages and unit labour increases are likely to be gradual and limited. costs. Interest rates will only go up as far and as fast as Actual wage growth, as you have been is consistent with price stability as part of a discussing, is currently very weak. It is just 0.6 durable expansion, with the maximum per cent excluding bonuses. There are sustainable level of employment. beginning, however, to be some leading For a variety of reasons, ranging from the indicators that point to a modest pick-up in weakness in the euro area, to that ongoing coming quarters. For example, job-to-job flows repair of household balance sheets that I spoke have been increasing and some surveys of pay about a moment ago, we are not expecting growth have picked up more sharply in the last interest rates to head back to the levels seen year. This offers some encouragement of better before the Great Recession. The actual path of wage prospects for those changing or finding interest rates will be determined the balance of new jobs but, of course, the pay of existing aggregate supply and demand in the economy. employees needs to pick up as well. After all, Before the crisis hit, these decisions were what matters for economy-wide inflation is the somewhat easier. Monetary policy largely average wage relative to economy-wide tracked developments in aggregate demand productivity. To that end, the Bank will be because the structural dynamics of labour monitoring closely pay settlements that are supply and the rate of productivity growth in bunched towards the turn of the year and will the economy were relatively constant, but in the be taking a steer from the pay of new hires as a wake of the crisis the supply side of the potential leading indicator of broader pay economy has been anything but predictable. pressures. If I had been here a year-and-a-half ago, I Some observers have discounted the would have said that we thought at that point implications for inflation of the recent weakness the major uncertainties on the supply side of pay growth because some of it stems from centred around productivity growth. But as we the types of jobs that are being filled, but these have observed, wages, employment and are real jobs being performed by real people, productivity evolve in recent quarters, we are and an increase in lower-skilled, lower-wage increasingly of the view that there has been a jobs is one consequence of working off the material labour supply shock for the reasons labour supply shock. We also need to be that I have just discussed. mindful of those longer-term trends that I spoke So our economic forecast for the next three of at the start. We also need to be mindful, in years, and hence our judgements about interest other words, that this could represent part of a rate decisions, are based on some key trend towards greater job polarisation. judgements about the labour market, The point is that what matters for particularly that the number of people inflationary pressures, irrespective of the type of participating in the labour force will continue to job, is the relationship between wages and rise; secondly, that the unemployment rate that productivity, and that relationship is captured the economy can sustain without generating by unit labour costs. When we look across the 52
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economy at the moment, wage growth is barely higher rates sooner. In all of those scenarios, above productivity growth. Soft unit labour rate rises can be expected to be gradual and costs indicate that there is further to go before limited compared to the experience of the UK in we reach the new sustainable level of the past. employment. In other words, there is still slack Let me conclude and then we will get to in the labour market. That slack is wasteful, and questions. We are under no illusions. The Great if it were to remain inflation would remain Recession was a calamity. British workers have below the 2 per cent target. borne many of the consequences. Our job at Our best current collective judgement is that, the Bank of England is to maintain price and while the degree of slack has narrowed rapidly, financial stability, because price and financial this slack remains broadly in the region of 1 per stability support sustainable growth in jobs and cent of GDP. As I said a moment ago, as this incomes. But monetary policy cannot do it margin of slack continues to narrow, we expect alone. Others – you, including trade unions, wages to pick up slightly faster than governments and businesses – will determine productivity. However, we expect that it will the potential of this economy. You will take the better part of three years for this to ultimately determine the size of Britain’s pay happen materially enough to bring inflation rise. Those in work need to be able to seize back to target. new job opportunities in a world where With inflation at 1.6 per cent, continuing technology and globalisation cause labour downward pressure from past appreciation of markets to shift rapidly. sterling, and with that margin of slack As you have been discussing over the last day- remaining, the current inflation environment is and-a-half but much, much longer, skill levels benign. But it will not remain benign if we do need to be raised continually. That is, first and not increase rates prudently as the expansion foremost, clearly about education but, crucially, progresses. The Bank’s latest forecasts show it also means access to life-long learning both that if interest rates were to follow broadly the on and off the job and access that is available to path expected by markets, or at least the path all. expected by markets in August – that is, The TUC’s engagement with the UK’s skills beginning to increasing by the spring and agenda is a major contribution to achieving that thereafter rising very gradually – inflation imperative. Let me give one example from the would settle at around 2 per cent by the end of past year alone. Unionlearn helped more than our first forecast and a further 1.2 million jobs 200,000 people invest in their skills. These are would have been created. In other words, we the types of investments that are absolutely would achieve our mandate. That’s a forecast. crucial for the durability of this expansion and There is, as always, uncertainty about the for Britain’s future. These are the type of future. But uncertainty does not mean stasis. investments that will help to deliver long-term You can expect interest rates to begin to productivity so that the British people get the increase. pay rise that they deserve. The exact path of interest rates will depend Thank you very much for your attention. on the economy, and the Bank’s assessment will, undoubtedly, change as the economy evolves and, of course, policy will be adjusted if geopolitical events have a material impact on the outlook. If indicators suggest the economy is moving more slowly towards our goals, we will have learned that e are further from sustainable capacity. Prospective wage and unit labour cost growth will be weaker. Rates will go up later and more gradually. But if we see faster progress, prospective wage and unit labour cost growth will be stronger, which will suggest we are closer to maximum capacity in the economy and that the economy can sustain 53
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opportunity was because of the trade unionists Chuka Umunna MP, and Labour governments leading the charge for Shadow Secretary of equalities legislation in the 1960s and 1970s. That, Congress, is why I am so proud to be State for Business, speaking to you today. Too easily, I think, people forget the impact that this movement Innovation and Skills has had. Sometimes, and this happens quite often in Westminster, you just shake your head at some of the rubbish you have to sit through, Monday, 8 September 2014, Liverpool government members, week after week, President, Congress, thank you so much for smearing and denigrating our trade unions. having me to speak. It is an honour to address If you just think, they have had this big push you for the first time today. Let me begin by to appoint more women ministers. That, of paying tribute to your General Secretary. course, is great yet they seem to forget that Frances, you are doing a fantastic job leading these very same Conservative women have this movement, keeping us on our toes, and benefited from the right to equal pay, fighting for social justice in this country. maternity leave, and all the other social reforms Today, I would like to talk about the that this Movement worked so tirelessly to importance of this movement and our shared introduce. They attack the very people who mission to build a new economy, but as my time have helped remove the barriers to their is limited I am not going to be able to cover progress. It is a disgrace and it must stop. everything. I will be more than happy to pick Maybe they think it is pro-business to attack up on the things I do not talk about in the Q&A you. It is not pro-business. Just as I am clear after. that you cannot be pro-worker if you do not Let me start with a simple statement. I am back the businesses that create decent jobs, you proud to be a trade union member out of cannot be pro-business if you constantly attack choice and out of conviction. I do not come the rights and representative organisations of from a family with a history of trade union the people who work in our businesses. activism but my late father, my Dad, a self-made Pro-worker, pro-business, that is our man, always supported this movement, always approach. That is the right approach. After all, voted Labour. Let me tell you why. many of the most successful FTSE 100 companies He arrived in this country, in this very city in are the ones that recognise the important role fact, at Liverpool Docks, in the mid-1960s after a of trade unions and your members. It is an long boat journey from Nigeria. It took some approach that is going to be more important courage, not just because he was leaving than ever in the future. everything he knew but he could not swim; if As a movement, we have always worked to the boat sank, he was going to go with it. He ensure the right balance of power between was seasick for the entire journey but carrying those who have and those who do not. That only a battered suitcase he made it here to ideal endures. But, let’s face it, and I think we Liverpool. all know this, the context in which we seek to He came here, like so many immigrants to achieve social justice, to ensure people have create a better life for himself and to make a good, fulfilling work, is changing. contribution as well, but like every other person We have all seen the winds of change of colour in the 1960s Britain that he arrived in, blowing through towns and communities across he faced rampant discrimination. Just Britain. The emerging economies, globally; the remember the famous signs – I was not around South and East are posing greater competition then but I am sure there are people in this room than ever to our firms and our workers. New who do – “No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs”. technologies are transforming how we live, how The reason my entrepreneur father business is done; and, yes, creating new jobs but supported this movement – in fact his hero was also making many of the jobs people have done Harold Wilson – was simple, this movement for generations disappear, and the new jobs are gave my father a chance. The reason those not always better jobs. racist signs came down and my father got his 54
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The thing is we cannot stop this change. We abandoned UK firms to buy off-the-shelf kit cannot stop the rise of international from the US. Look at renewables and the competition. We cannot stop the onward of damage caused by their U-turn on feed-in technology. Doing so through protectionist tariffs, putting the whole of that industry in measures, for example, would be entirely peril. More recently, look at pharmaceuticals counterproductive but we can and we must where they were happy to wave through the shape these forces of change together to build takeover of our second biggest firm, the kinds of jobs and the better future we want AstraZeneca, by Pfizer, a firm with a record of for our children, our families, and our intellectually asset-stripping companies and communities. cutting R&D investment. We have to ensure it is our firms – our firms – As Ed Miliband says, we can and must do which are the ones producing and creating better than this. Under Labour our long-term those new technologies the world wants, plan for growth with industrial strategy at its enabling us to pay our way in the world, core – we call it “Agenda 2030” – will animate building an economy of good jobs and higher the whole of government, backing our wages for all. And, Congress, for this we need businesses and those working within them, a you. I think, and I do not know about you, too strategic and strong pro-worker, pro-business often trade unions only come to prominence in agenda that has us all working together, the media when things reach crisis point, during employers, trade unions, and government, to difficult pay negotiations, when a plant is under ensure the UK and all of our people succeed. It threat, during a dispute. is the only way we will rise to the challenge of That essential role for you, for trade unions, building a new economy in this new modern will continue but we need unions to be global world that I have talked about. engaged not just in times of dispute or crisis but Now, the Conservatives – sorry, I have to talk much earlier, in a continuous discussion, shaping about them – do not understand that you have the process of change I have talked about, to build an economy, not on the stress fractures working with our businesses to transform of conflict but on the firm foundations of themselves, to harness the new technologies collaboration. They see workers as a threat to and compete with India, China, and beyond. be controlled, not as the inspiration for At the level of each firm, we must be ready everything our companies achieve. They see for these kinds of discussions, as I know you are, unions as a brake on our nation’s success, not as and we need employers engaging with you, partners in building the new shared economy including you in this process, promoting we need. They say we are all in this together investment in people and business so we are but their actions – just look at Francis Maude – producing goods and services in each business seek to divide and rule. And do not even get that can be sold to the world. me started on UKIP, who take division to a I am clear, adding value is what this whole new level. Movement does for our economy and this Congress, we cannot meet the challenges our approach is needed at the level of each industry nation faces by setting our communities against sector, too. It is essential trade unions are each other, by scapegoating and blaming each included and play an active part on different other. Let’s be frank, the rhetoric that seeps out sector bodies in shaping the different industrial of that party in respect of our fellow Europeans strategies we have. Government, of course, is not at all dissimilar from the rhetoric must play its role in the implementation of deployed against black and Asian people in those industrial strategies across all times past. We will not stand for it. departments, bringing employers and union That is why when people argue, and you will representatives together to help forge that hear it, we are all the same, they are all the future, resolutely backing those sectors where same, I am resolute in my view that we are not. we have a competitive edge or might do in the We are not. The Tory way, the UKIP way, is not future. the Labour way of doing things. Labour is a That is not happening right now. Look at the political party built on the power of common defence industry, for example, at the beginning endeavour, the value of collaboration, the of this Parliament where the government 55
Section 2: Keynote Speeches
importance of solidarity, respecting people’s not have to live in poverty or have insecurity rights and ensuring they have a voice. heaped upon you. That is why I am proud we voted down the There is more. We will take action to ensure move by Tory MPs to abolish trade union agency workers are properly protected and that facilities time in this Parliament. That is why I there are no exemptions from equal treatment am proud we saw off the threat of Adrian on pay, and that includes ending the Swedish Beecroft’s compensated no-fault dismissals. derogation. We will extend the remit of the That is why I am proud we blocked the proposal Gangmasters Licensing Authority. by Vince Cable – sorry, I have to mention him I could go on but, of course, all of this will too –to end the Equality and Human Rights only happen if a Labour government is elected. Commission’s duty to promote equality. We will extend the remit of the Gangmasters’ Above all, Congress, that is why I am proud to Licensing Authority. I could go on, but the red say we will do what this Government has light will start showing. But all of this will only refused to do, launch a full inquiry, held happen if a Labour government is elected next publicly, into the inexcusable blacklisting of year. workers in the construction sector. Let me be I should say that if you live in Scotland, the clear, if I am given the privilege by Ed Miliband SNP would have you believe that social justice of serving as business secretary in the next can be achieved by voting for separation, but Labour government, we will deliver justice to when asked what measures in their White Paper those workers who lost their livelihoods and redistribute money and power from those who end blacklisting once and for all. have it to those who do not, they have no Labour believes not just in words but, answers because there are none. Instead, they proudly, in our actions too and in government are committed to a further 3p reduction in this will continue. We have fought to defend corporation tax for the biggest and wealthiest people’s rights in opposition and these rights, of companies. Congress, there is only one way to course, are only meaningful if you can get achieve better social justice in this United proper redress. We are clear the current Kingdom and that is through the pro-worker, employment tribunal system is unfair, pro-business agenda I have talked about which unsustainable, and has resulted in prohibitive the election of a Labour government will costs. deliver, not by separation. What this government has done is lock To finish, I would like to go back to the people out of the justice they are entitled to. beginning and to my father. When he arrived Affordability should not be a barrier to here in Liverpool, he was filled with hope and workplace justice. It should not be a barrier to ambition. That is what this country represented workplace justice. It would also be a mistake to him – and what it proved to be all the way to simply to return to the system of the past where his death. Due to your work protecting his you know tribunals were so slow that rights, the infrastructure this country provided meaningful justice was not always available. and his ability to see opportunity in the world, So, I am happy to say this today, if we are he was able to make it. That simple story of elected, the next Labour government will hope, hard work, rights, opportunity and abolish the current system, reform the success is what we want for all our people so employment tribunals, and put in place a new that we can lead lives where tomorrow is better system that ensures all workers have proper than today and, above all, we can give our access to justice, openness and respect, rights children more than we had. and justice under a future Labour government. Let us work together, in solidarity, to make It is the same drive for social justice that lies that happen. Thank you, Congress. behind our commitment to restoring the value of the national minimum wage, with increased fines and better enforcement. It lies behind our commitment to incentivise employers to pay a living wage. It lies behind our commitment to outlaw exploitative zero-hours contracts. If you work hard, day in, day out, in 2014 you should 56
Section 3: Unions and their delegates
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Accord Union address: 4 The Riverside Centre, Union address: Simmons House, 46 Old Bath Frankland Lane, Durham DH1 5TA Road, Charvil, Reading RG10 9QR Telephone: 0191 384 9512 Telephone: 0118 934 1808 Email: [email protected] Out of hours media number: 07973 642592 Web: www.aep.org.uk Email: [email protected] Main trades and industries represented: Email (officials and staff): Educational psychologists [email protected] Membership stats: Web: www.accord-myunion.org Male 688 | Female 2,609 | Total 3,297 Main trades and industries represented: General Secretary: Kate Fallon the Lloyds banking group Delegates: Membership stats: John Drewicz Kate Fallon Male 7,958 | Female 16,219 | Total 24,177 Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2 General Secretary: Ged Nichols Delegates: AFA-CWA Margaret Betts Vickie Bullough Association of Flight Attendants Chris Goldthorpe Ged Nichols Union address: AFA Council 07 Caroline Pollock Christine Robinson United Airlines Cargo Centre, Shoreham Road Male: 2 Female: 4 Total: 6 East, Heathrow Airport, Hounslow TW6 3UA ADVANCE Telephone: 020 8276 6723 Union address: 16/17 High Street, Tring HP23 Email: [email protected] 5AH Web: www.afanet.org Telephone: 01442 891122 Main trades and industries represented: Email: [email protected] Airline cabin crew Web: www.advance-union.org Membership stats: Main trades and industries represented: Male 100 | Female 400 | Total 500 Santander UK-based companies President: Anthony King Membership stats: Delegates: Male 1,771 | Female 5,013 | Total 6,784 Anthony King General Secretary: Linda Rolph Male: 1 Female: 0 Total: 1 Delegates: Gerard Moloney Linda Rolph ASLEF Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2 Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen AEGIS Union address: 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, Union address: Aegon UK plc, Edinburgh Park, London EC1M 4NN Edinburgh EH12 9SE Telephone: 020 7324 2400 Telephone: 0131 549 5665 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.aslef.org.uk Web: www.aegistheunion.co.uk Main trades and industries represented: Main trades and industries represented: Railways (drivers, operational supervisors and Finance staff) Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 1,283 | Female 1,592 | Total 2,875 Total 20,054 General Secretary: Brian Linn (male/female split not available) Delegates: General Secretary: Mick Whelan Brian Linn Fiona Steele Delegates: Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2 Alan Donnelly Hussein Ezzedine Deborah Reay Simon Weller AEP Mick Whelan Association of Educational Psychologists Male: 4 Female: 1 Total: 5 58
Section 3: Unions and their delegates
ATL Web: www.balpa.org Association of Teachers and Lecturers Main trades and industries represented: Union address: 7 Northumberland Street, Airline pilots and flight engineers London WC2N 5RD Membership stats: Telephone: 020 7930 6441 Male 7,420 | Female 480 | Total 7,900 Email: [email protected] General Secretary: Jim McAuslan Web: www.atl.org.uk Delegates: Main trades and industries represented: Martin Drake Jim McAuslan Teachers, lecturers and teaching support staff in Male: 2 Female: 0 Total: 2 nursery, school, sixth form and further education sectors BDA Membership stats: British Dietetic Association Male 32,920 | Female 94,979 | Total 127,899 Union address: Charles House, 148/149 Great General Secretary: Dr Mary Bousted Charles Street, Queensway, Birmingham B3 3HT Delegates: Telephone: 0121 200 8021 Ray Amos Mark Baker Email: [email protected] Victoria Barlow Mary Bousted Web: www.bda.uk.com Alec Clark Shelagh Hirst Main trades and industries represented: Mark Holding Julie Huckstep Dietetics Avie Kaur Kim Knappett Membership stats: John Laidlaw Matt Mugan Male 343 | Female 7,266 | Total 7,609 Julia Neal Peter Pendle Head of employment relations: Debbie Hank Roberts Alison Sherratt O’Rourke Ralph Surman Niamh Sweeney Delegates: Richard Thompson Dennis Edmondson Clare Jones Male: 10 Female: 9 Total: 19 Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2
BACM-TEAM BECTU British Association of Colliery Management – Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph Technical, and Theatre Union Energy and Administrative Management Union address: 373–377 Clapham Road, London Union address: Edwinstowe House, High Street, SW9 9BT Edwinstowe, NG21 9PR Telephone: 020 7346 0900 Telephone: 01623 821510 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.bectu.org.uk Web: www.bacmteam.org.uk Main trades and industries represented: Main trades and industries represented: Broadcasting, film, video, theatre, cinema Mining and other energy workers Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 16,407 | Female 6,999 | Total 23,406 Male 1,795 | Female 73 | Total 1,868 General Secretary: Gerry Morrissey General Secretary: Patrick Carragher Delegates: Delegate: Luke Crawley John Handley Patrick Carragher Jane Perry Nicholas Ray Male: 1 Female: 0 Total: 1 Keith Stokes Male: 4 Female: 1 Total: 5 BALPA British Air Line Pilots’ Association BFAWU Union address: BALPA House, 5 Heathrow Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union Boulevard, 278 Bath Road, West Drayton UB7 Union address: Stanborough House, Great North 0DQ Road, Stanborough, Welwyn Garden City Telephone: 020 8476 4000 AL8 7TA Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01707 260150
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Email: [email protected] Steel and metal, textiles, footwear, leather, Web: www.bfawu.org betting shops, social care Main trades and industries represented: Membership stats: Food Male 25,684 | Female 6,202 | Total 31,886 Membership stats: General Secretary: Roy Rickhuss Total 20,216 (male/female split not available) Delegates: General Secretary: Ronnie Draper Dougie Fairbairn Keith Jordan Delegates: Sue Mather Rob Middlemas Ronnie Draper Joe Knapper Robert Mooney Chris Rice Pauline McCarthy Sarah Woolley Roy Rickhuss Male: 2 Female: 2 Total: 4 Male: 6 Female: 1 Total: 7
BOS TU CSP British Orthoptic Society Trade Union Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Union address: Salisbury House, Station Road, Union address: 14 Bedford Row, London WC1R Cambridge CB1 2LA 4ED Telephone: 01353 665541 Telephone: 020 7306 6666 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.orthoptics.org.uk Web: www.csp.org.uk Main trades and industries represented: Main trades and industries represented: Orthoptics Physiotherapy Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 85 | Female 934 | Total 1,019 Male 7,950 | Female 31,800 | Total 39,750 Chair: Lesley-Anne Baxter Director of employment relations and union Delegates: services: Lesley Mercer Fiona Beckett Delegates: Male: 0 Female: 1 Total: 1 Jill Barker Rachael Machin Lesley Mercer Myless Mwanza BSU Tony Shakesby Claire Sullivan Britannia Staff Union Barbara Verrall Union address: Court Lodge, Leonard Street, Male: 1 Female: 6 Total: 7 Leek ST13 5JP Telephone: 01538 399627 CWU Email: [email protected] Communication Workers Union Web: www.britanniasu.org.uk Union address: 150 The Broadway, London Main trades and industries represented: SW19 1RX Finance Telephone: 020 8971 7200 Membership stats: Email: [email protected] Male 658 | Female 1,715 | Total 2,373 Web: www.cwu.org General Secretary: John Stoddard Main trades and industries represented: Delegates: The postal service and telecoms Adrian Northcott John Stoddard Membership stats: Male: 2 Female: 0 Total: 2 Male 164,001 | Female 37,728 | Total 201,729 General Secretary: Billy Hayes Community Delegates: Union address: 465c Caledonian Road, London Craig Anderson Nick Darbyshire N7 9GX Maria Exall Jackie Gatward Telephone: 020 7420 4000 Billy Hayes Kate Hudson Email: [email protected] Olufemi Igbekele Mick Kavanagh Web: www.community-tu.org Tony Kearns Andy Kerr Main trades and industries represented: Jim McKechnie Ali Moosa Jaqueline Morrey Beryl Shepherd
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Amarjite Singh Joyce Stephenson General Secretary: Matt Wrack Mark Walsh David Wilshire Delegates: Male: 11 Female: 7 Total: 18 Kerry Baigent Kevin Brown Otis Graham Tam McFarlane EIS Alan McLean Ian Murray Educational Institute of Scotland Andy Noble Matt Wrack Union address: 46 Moray Place, Edinburgh EH3 Male: 7 Female: 1 Total: 8 6BH Telephone: 0131 225 6244 FDA Email: [email protected] Union address: 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN Web: www.eis.org.uk Telephone: 020 7401 5555 Main trades and industries represented: Email: [email protected] Teachers, lecturers and other education Web: www.fda.org.uk personnel Main trades and industries represented: Membership stats: Senior managers in public bodies, civil service Male 12,306 | Female 41,536 | Total 53,842 and the NHS General Secretary: Larry Flanagan Membership stats: Delegates: Male 8,361 | Female 8,605 | Total 16,966 Tommy Castles Celia Connolly General Secretary: Dave Penman Nicola Dasgupta Larry Flanagan Delegates: Edith Swinley Ken Wimbor Jan Fenell Rutherford Sue Gethin Male: 3 Female: 3 Total: 6 Dave Penman Tony Wallace Male: 2 Female: 2 Total: 4 Equity Union address: Guild House, Upper St Martin’s GMB Lane, London WC2H 9EG Union address: 22 Stephenson Way, London Telephone: 020 7379 6000 NW1 2HD Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 7391 6700 Web: www.equity.org.uk Email: [email protected] Main trades and industries represented: Web: www.gmb.org.uk Performance workers in theatre, film, television, Main trades and industries represented: radio, variety and fashion General Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 19,088 | Female 19,109 | Total 38,197 Male 314,129 | Female 302,935 | Total 617,064 General Secretary: Christine Payne General Secretary: Paul Kenny Delegates: Delegates: Max Beckmann Di Christian Kathy Abubakir Charles Adje Nicholas Goh Christine Payne Dotun Alade Odumosu Rehana Azam Lynda Rook Malcolm Sinclair Sheila Bearcroft MBE Liz Blackman Male: 2 Female: 4 Total: 6 Justin Bowden Dana Bruno Kevin Buchanan Caroline Campbell FBU Maragaret Clarke Ida Clemo Fire Brigades’ Union Billy Coates Harry Donaldson Union address: Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road, Brendan Duffield Roy Dunnett Kingston upon Thames KT2 7AE Brian Farr Gerry Ferguson Telephone: 020 8541 1765 Karen Guest Sharon Holder Email: [email protected] David Hope Kamaljeet Jandu Web: www.fbu.org.uk Janette Jepson Lisa Johnson Main trades and industries represented: Kevin Jones Farzanna Jumma Fire fighters and fire brigade staff Joan Kelly Paul Kenny Membership stats: Mick Lancaster Maria Ludkin Male 37,324 | Female 2,659 | Total 39,983 Evelyn Martin Fern McCaffrey
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Paul McCarthy John McDonnell Email (officials and staff): initials@nacoco- Linda Moore Joe Morgan op.org Cathy Murphy Pete Murphy Web: www.naco.coop Lorraine Parker Tim Roache Main trades and industries represented: Malcolm Sage Lena Sharp The Co-operative Group Kath Slater Viv Smart Membership stats: Gary Smith Cath Speight Male 1,175 | Female 644 | Total 1,819 James Stribley Brian Strutton General Secretary: Neil Buist Mary Turner MBE Kathleen Walker Shaw Delegates: Male: 24 Female: 27 Total: 51 Neil Buist Sue Powell Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2 HCSA Hospital Consultants’ and Specialists’ Association NACODS Union address: 1 Kingsclere Road, Overton, National Association of Colliery Overmen, Basingstoke RG25 3JA Deputies and Shotfirers Telephone: 01256 771777 Union address: Wadsworth House, 130–132 Email: [email protected] Doncaster Road, Barnsley S70 1TP Web: www.hcsa.com Telephone: 01226 203743 Main trades and industries represented: Email: [email protected] Hospital consultants and associate specialists Web: www.nacods.org.uk Membership stats: Main trades and industries represented: Male 2,593 | Female 635 | Total 3,228 Mining General Secretary: Eddie Saville Membership stats: Delegates: Total 233 (male/female split not available) Eddie Saville John Schofield General Secretary: Rowland Soar Male: 2 Female: 0 Total: 2 Delegate: Terry Fox MU Male: 1 Female: 0 Total: 1 Musicians’ Union Union address: 60/62 Clapham Road, London NAPO SW9 0JJ Union address: 4 Chivalry Road, London SW11 Telephone: 020 7582 5566 1HT Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 7223 4887 Web: www.theMU.org Email: [email protected] Main trades and industries represented: Web: www.napo.org.uk Musicians, including live and recording artists, Main trades and industries represented: writers, composers and teachers Probation and family court staff Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 21,908 | Female 8,802 | Total 30,710 Male 2,280 | Female 5,843 | Total 8,123 General Secretary: John Smith General Secretary: Ian Lawrence Delegates: Delegates: Harriet Bennett Kathy Dyson Ian Lawrence Yvonne Pattison Tom Edwards Dave Lee Male: 1 Female: 1 Total: 2 John Smith Male: 3 Female: 2 Total: 5 NASS National Association of Stable Staff NACO Union address: The New Astley Club, Fred National Association of Co-operative Officials Archer Way, Newmarket CB8 8NT Union address: 6a Clarendon Place, Hyde SK14 Telephone: 01638 663411 2QZ Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0161 351 7900 Web: www.naoss.co.uk Main trades and industries represented:
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Stable staff Ronnie Cunningham Mark Dickinson Membership stats: Mike Jess Norman Martin Male 927 | Female 855 | Total 1,782 Male: 4 Female: 0 Total: 4 Chief Executive: George McGrath Delegates: NGSU George McGrath Kevin Parsons Nationwide Group Staff Union Male: 2 Female: 0 Total: 2 Union address: Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury OX17 2QT NASUWT Telephone: 01295 710767 Union address: 5 King Street, Covent Garden, Email: [email protected] London WC2E 8SD Web: www.ngsu.org.uk Telephone: 020 7420 9670 Main trades and industries represented: Email: [email protected] Staff within the Nationwide Group Web: www.nasuwt.org.uk Membership stats: Main trades and industries represented: Male 3,512 | Female 8,340 | Total 11,852 Education General Secretary: Tim Poil Membership stats: Delegates: Male 78,042 | Female 214,972 | Total 293,024 Christine Cooper Gill Grocott General Secretary: Chris Keates Tim Poil Delegates: Male: 1 Female: 2 Total: 3 Tariq Arafa Lynn Bayliss Geoff Branner Fred Brown NUJ Brian Cookson National Union of Journalists Michelle Corrington-Rogers Union address: Headland House, 308–312 Gray’s Lena Davies Graham Dawson Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP Nigel De Gruchy Kathy Duggan Telephone: 020 7843 3700 Claudia Glasgow Karen Hopwood Email: [email protected] Chris Keates Dave Kitchen Web: www.nuj.org.uk Mick Lyons Dan McCarthy Main trades and industries represented: Derek Moore Jennifer Moses Journalism Abdullah Muhsin Pullum Membership stats: Paul Nesbitt Darren Northcott Male 18,669 | Female 11,765 | Total 30,434 Ben Padley Jim Quigley General Secretary: Michelle Stanistreet Timothy Ramsden Patrick Roach Delegates: Sue Rogers Peter Scott David Campanale Alan Gibson Nick Trier Tracey Twist Sian Jones Andy Smith Kathy Wallis Chris Weavers Michelle Stanistreet Amanda Williamson Gareth Young Male: 3 Female: 2 Total: 5 Male: 21 Female: 12 Total: 33 NUM Nautilus International National Union of Mineworkers Union address: 1–2 The Shrubberies, George Union address: Miners’ Offices, 2 Huddersfield Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD Road, Barnsley S70 2LS Telephone: 020 8989 6677 Telephone: 01226 215555 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.nautilusint.org Web: www.num.org.uk Main trades and industries represented: Main trades and industries represented: Merchant navy and related areas Coal mining Membership stats: Membership stats: Male 15,261 | Female 539 | Total 15,800 Total 1,283 (male/female split not available) General Secretary: Mark Dickinson National Secretary: Chris Kitchen Delegates: Delegates:
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Chris Kitchen Nicky Wilson Helen Flanagan Cheryl Gedling Male: 2 Female: 0 Total: 2 Janice Godrich Jackie Green Austin Harney Zita Holbourne NUT Ian Lawther Fiona MacDonald National Union of Teachers Kevin McHugh John McInally Union address: Hamilton House, Mabledon Gordon Rowntree Vicki Searle Place, London WC1H 9BD Mark Serwotka Maurice Shaw Telephone: 020 7388 6191 Sian Thomas Katrine Williams Web: www.teachers.org.uk Male: 11 Female: 11 Total: 22 Main trades and industries represented: Teaching PFA Membership stats: Professional Footballers’ Association Male 78,744 | Female 251,975 | Total 330,719 Union address: 20 Oxford Court, Bishopsgate, General Secretary: Christine Blower Manchester M2 3WQ Delegates: Telephone: 0161 236 0575 Andrew Baisley Sian Bassett Email: [email protected] Marilyn Bater Rachel Baxter Web: www.thepfa.com Christine Blower Anton Brcar Main trades and industries represented: Amanda Brown Chris Brown Professional football Dominic Byrne Bridget Chapman Membership stats: Kevin Courtney Caroline Cowie Male 2,899 | Female 43 | Total 2,942 Beth Davies Chris Denson Chief Executive: Gordon Taylor OBE Christine Dickinson John Dixon Delegate: Colin Dyson Jerry Glazier Nick Cusack Philipa Harvey Dave Harvey Male: 1 Female: 0 Total: 1 Mandy Hudson Beverly Humphries Max Hyde Betty Joseph POA Alex Kenny Roger King The professional trade union for prison, Gawain Little Amanda Martin correctional and secure psychiatric workers Heather McKenzie Ros McNeil Union address: Cronin House, 245 Church Street, Andrew Morris Ian Murch London N9 9HW Annette Pryce Louise Regan Telephone: 020 8803 0255 Ken Rustidge Chrissie Smith Web: www.poauk.org.uk Sarah Troughton David Wilson Main trades and industries represented: Male: 16 Female: 23 Total: 39 Prison, correctional and secure psychiatric workers PCS Membership stats: Public and Commercial Services Union Male 23,165 | Female 7,965 | Total 31,130 Union address: 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 General Secretary: Steve Gillan 2LN Delegates: Telephone: 020 7924 2727 Andrew Darken Mick Deveraux Web: www.pcs.org.uk Mark Fairhurst Stephen Gillan Main trades and industries represented: Peter McParlin Mike Rolfe Civil service and privatised ex-civil service Neil Ross agencies Male: 7 Female: 0 Total: 7 Membership stats: Male 99,269 | Female 148,076 | Total 247,345 Prospect General Secretary: Mark Serwotka Union address: New Prospect House, 8 Leake Delegates: Street, London SE1 7NN Ian Albert Kenny Baird Telephone: 020 7902 6600 Chris Baugh Sue Bond Email: [email protected] Paula Brown Martin Cavanagh Web: www.prospect.org.uk
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Main trades and industries represented: Joanna Brown Patricia Schooling Managerial and professional staff Male: 0 Female: 2 Total: 2 Membership stats: Male 87,880 | Female 27,163 | Total 115,043 SoR General Secretary: Mike Clancy Society of Radiographers Delegates: Union address: 207 Providence Square, Mill Michael Clancy Lorna Daniel Street, London SE1 2EW Sue Ferns Kevin Garside Telephone: 020 7740 7200 Archie Glen Alan Grey Email: [email protected] Trudy Ham Mike Hardacre Web: www.sor.org Gordon Hutchinson Tom James Main trades and industries represented: Caitlin Kinsella Leslie Manasseh Radiography Marie McGrath Denise McGuire Membership stats: Robert Spicer Mick Upfield Total 26,485 (male/female split not available) Male: 10 Female: 8 Total: 18 Chief Executive Officer: Richard Evans Delegates: RMT Pamela Black Richard Evans National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Steve Herring Warren Town Workers Male: 3 Female: 1 Total: 4 Union address: 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD Telephone: 020 7387 4771 SUWBBS Email: [email protected] Staff Union West Bromwich Building Society Web: www.rmt.org.uk Union address: 374 High Street, West Bromwich Main trades and industries represented: B70 8LR Transport workers Telephone: 0870 220 7720 Membership stats: Email: [email protected] Male 70,032 | Female 10,073 | Total 80,105 Main trades and industries represented: Acting General Secretary: Mick Cash West Bromwich Building Society staff Delegates: Membership stats: Mick Cash Chris Davidson Male 178 | Female 345 | Total 523 Jennifer Gray Peter Hall Chair: Julie Holton Mark Harvey Billy Jones Delegates: Peter Lewis Karlson Lingwood Joanne Fellows Julie Holton Kevin Morrison Peter Pinkney Male: 0 Female: 2 Total: 2 Nick Quirk Bill Rawcliffe John Reid Neil Sharples TSSA Steve Skelly Paul Walker Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association Male: 15 Female: 1 Total: 16 Union address: Walkden House, 10 Melton Street, London NW1 2EJ SCP Telephone: 020 7387 2101 The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Email: [email protected] Union address: 1 Fellmongers Path, Tower Web: www.tssa.org.uk Bridge Road, London SE1 3LY Main trades and industries represented: Telephone: 0845 450 3720 Transport workers Email: [email protected] Membership stats: Web: www.feetforlife.org Male 15,644 | Female 6,082 | Total 21,726 Main trades and industries represented: General Secretary: Manuel Cortes Chiropody and podiatry Delegates: Membership stats: Rebecca Barnes Mick Carney Male 2,510 | Female 6,788 | Total 9,298 Manuel Cortes Hilary Hosking General Secretary: Joanna Brown Mitch Tovey Delegates: Male: 3 Female: 2 Total: 5
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
UCAC Vicky Knight Dominique Lauterburg Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru Liz Lawrence Martin Levy Union address: Prif Swyddfa UCAC, Ffordd Loraine Monk Mahmona Shah Penglais, Aberystwyth SY23 2EU Male: 3 Female: 9 Total: 12 Telephone: 01970 639950 Email: [email protected] UNISON Web: www.athrawon.com Union address: UNISON Centre, Main trades and industries represented: 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY Teaching Telephone: 0800 0 857 857 Membership stats: Email: [email protected] Total 3,815 (male/female split not available) Web: www.unison.org.uk General Secretary: Elaine Edwards Main trades and industries represented: Local government; healthcare; utilities; UCATT education; transport; voluntary sector; housing Union of Construction, Allied Trades and associations; police support staff Technicians Membership stats: Union address: UCATT House, 177 Abbeville Male 402,241 | Female 864,470 | Total 1,266,711 Road, London SW4 9RL General Secretary: Dave Prentis Telephone: 020 7622 2442 Delegates: Email: [email protected] James Anthony Paula Barker Web: www.ucatt.org.uk Kerry Baugh Amanda Berger Main trades and industries represented: Nicole Berrisford Josie Bird Construction Jean Blevin Belinda Burton Membership stats: Liz Cameron Jane Carolan Male 84,922 | Female 2,061 | Total 86,983 Beth Corris Paul Couchman General Secretary: Steve Murphy Peter Crews Ruth Davies Delegates: Lesley Discombe Neelo Farr Ged Cooney Brian Davis Waida Forman Paul Glover Stuart Grice Alan Jolley Dan Goodwin Dettie Gould Andy Jones John Kemp Margaret Greer Susan Highton Steve Murphy Tony O’Brien Michael Hines Greta Holmes Mark Page Terry Palfrey Kevin Jackson Karen Jennings Simon Pantry Bill Parry Conroy Lawrence Jackie Lewis Wayne Sloane Neil Vernon Lilian Macer Ann Macmillan Wood Andy Wilson Gordon McKay Margarat Mckee Male: 15 Female: 0 Total: 15 Lucia McKeever Mark McSheehy Gloria Mills CBE Caryl Nobbs UCU Roz Norman June Poole University and College Union Dave Prentis Nicky Ramanandi Union address: Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH Davena Rankin Eve Rose Telephone: 020 7756 2500 Satwant Sagoo Kim Silver Email: [email protected] Stephen Smellie Eleanor Smith Web: www.ucu.org.uk Polly Smith Liz Snape Main trades and industries represented: Antoinette Solera Irene Stacey Academic and academic-related staff Sian Stockham Michael Stowe Membership stats: Chris Tansley Mark Trask Male 55,644 | Female 57,583 | Total 113,227 Denise Ward Glen Williams General Secretary: Sally Hunt Clare Williams Asha Wolfe-Robinson Delegates: Rena Wood Mandy Brown Helen Carr Male: 17 Female: 42 Total: 59 Joanna De Groot Rob Goodfellow Terry Hoad Sally Hunt
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
UNITE Web: www.unitytheunion.org.uk Union address: Unite House, 128 Theobald’s Main trades and industries represented: Road, London WC1X 8TN Ceramics Telephone: 020 7611 2500 Membership stats: Web: www.unitetheunion.org Male 2,488 | Female 1,418 | Total 3,906 Main trades and industries represented: General Secretary: Harry Hockaday General Delegates: Membership stats: Thomas Dawkins MBE Male 983,155 | Female 327,494 | Total 1,310,649 Male: 1 Female: 0 Total: 1 General Secretary: Len McCluskey Delegates: URTU Terry Abbott Stan Benefield United Road Transport Union Mary Branigan Paula Brennan Union address: Almond House, Oak Green, Tony Burke Gail Cartmail Stanley Green Business Park, Cheadle Hulme SK8 John Cooper Tracy Coxhill 6QL Anthony Curley Hortense Donaldson Telephone: 0800 52 66 39 Donna Donnelly Karim Fashesin Email:[email protected] Debbie Figures Richard Foster Main trades and industries represented: Nigel Gawthrope Vicki Grandon Drivers, warehousing, ancillary workers in the Marina Gunn Graeme Haines logistics and food sectors Bronwen Handyside Daksha Haria Membership stats: Joe Harrickie Ruth Hayes Total 12,200 (male/female split not available) Brian Hemsley Agnes Hildich General Secretary: Robert Monks Diana Holland Oliver Kelly Delegates: Mahf Khan Marie Kieran Brian Hart Robert Monks Tony Lewington Catherine Mallon Lee Pimbley Shelley Maxfield Dawn McAllister Male: 3 Female: 0 Total: 3 Len McCluskey Linda McCulloch Sean McGovern Liz McInnes USDAW Jackie McMonagle Lawrence Mitchell Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Ivan Monckton Hefin Morris Union address: 188 Wilmslow Road, Manchester Andrew Murray Brian Norbury M14 6LJ Phillip Norton Brad Oliver Telephone: 0161 224 2804 Temidayo Omitogun Howard Percival Email: [email protected] Stella Ridgeway John Roscoe Web: www.usdaw.org.uk Stan Ruddock Taj Salam Main trades and industries represented: Steve Sargeant Stan Sims Retail, distributive, food processing, Michelle Smith Kathy Smith pharmaceutical, mail order, warehouses, clerical, Ian Smith Jane Stewart milk round and dairy, call centres Joyce Still Pat Stuart Membership stats: Jasmin Sureya Mohammed Taj Male 191,064 | Female 242,338 | Total 433,402 Steve Turner Dave Uren General Secretary: John Hannett Lenford Vassell Katherine Walters Delegates: James Watson Debbie Wilkinson Balbinder Auluk Lorraine Barr Leroy Willis Tony Woodhouse Robert Bell Jeff Broome Ollie Woodman Valerie Cooke John Crick Male: 36 Female: 33 Total: 69 Tony Dale Peter Devine Brendan Duggan Garry Gibson Unity Helen Grindley Susan Hallam Union address: Hillcrest House, Garth Street, John Hannett Shaun Jones Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 2AB Clare Jones Julie Keenan Telephone: 01782 272 755 Paddy Lillis Ann Lloyd
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Section 3: Unions and their delegates
Karl Lockley Pauline Markham SUMMARY John McLean Milena Partington Number of affiliated unions: 53 Joan Samuels Rosaria Sansone Membership: Adam Skwierawski Janette Thomas Male: 2,905,943 Angela Thomas Shelley Vaughan Female: 2,796,738 Simon Vincent Frederick West Male/female split not available: 84,053 Anne Will Barbara Wilson Total: 5,786,734 Fiona Wilson Alan Woodhouse Carla Woodley Male: 17 Female: 18 Total: 35
WGGB Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Union address: 1st Floor, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU Telephone: 020 7833 0777 Email: [email protected] Web: www.writersguild.org.uk Main trades and industries represented: Television, radio, film, books, theatre, video games, multimedia Membership stats: Male 698 | Female 428 | Total 1,126 General Secretary: Bernie Corbett
YISA Yorkshire Independent Staff Association Union address: c/o Yorkshire Building Society, Yorkshire House, Yorkshire Drive, Rooley Lane, Bradford BD5 8LJ Telephone: 01274 472629 Email: [email protected] Main trades and industries represented: Staff of Yorkshire Building Society Membership stats: Male 539 | Female 1,188 | Total 1,727 General Secretary: Ania Grota Delegates: Pat Cook Maureen Torrance Male: 0 Female: 2 Total: 2
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Section 4: Details of past Congresses
Section 4: Details of past Congresses
69
Section 4: Details of past Congresses
No. Date Venue President General Secretary Delegates Unions Members
1 1868 Manchester W H Wood (Manchester Trades Council) W H Wood 34 - 118,367 2 1869 Birmingham T J Wilkinson (Flint Glass Makers) George Potter 47 40 250,000 3 1871 London George Potter (Working Men’s Association) ditto 57 49 289,430 4 1872 Nottingham W H Leatherland (Organised Trade Association) George Odger 77 63 255,710 5 1873 Leeds W Lishman (Leeds Trades Councils) George Howell 132 140 750,000 6 1874 Sheffield W Rolley (President, Trades Council) ditto 169 153 1,191,922 7 1875 Liverpool J Fitzpatrick (Secretary, Trades Council) ditto 151 107 818,032 8 1875 Glasgow J Battersby (Compositors) ditto 139 109 539,823 9 1876 Newcastle J C Laird (President, Trades Council) H Broadhurst 140 113 557,823 10 1877 Leicester D Merrick (Boot and Shoe Finishers) H Broadhurst 152 112 691,089 11 1878 Bristol G F Jones (Secretary, Trades Council) ditto 136 114 623,957 12 1879 Edinburgh D Gibson (President, Trades Council) ditto 115 92 541,892 13 1880 Dublin J Murphy (Ironfounders) ditto 120 105 494,222 14 1881 London E Coulson (Bricklayers) ditto 157 122 463,899 15 1882 Manchester R Austin (Engineers) ditto 153 126 509,307 16 1883 Nottingham T Smith (Boot and Shoe Riveters) ditto 166 134 520,091 17 1884 Aberdeen J C Thompson (President, Trades Council) ditto 142 126 598,033 18 1885 Southport T R Threlfall (Typographical Association) George Shipton 161 136 580,976 19 1886 Hull F Maddison (Typographical Association) H Broadhurst 143 122 635,580 20 1887 Swansea W Bevan (Carpenters and Joiners) ditto 156 131 674,034 21 1888 Bradford S Shaftoe (Basket Makers) ditto 165 138 816,944 22 1889 Dundee R D B Ritchie (Dundee Trades Councils) ditto 211 171 885,055 23 1890 Liverpool W Matkin (Carpenters and Joiners) C Fenwick 457 211 1,470,191 24 1891 Newcastle T Burt (Miners) ditto 552 213 1,302,855 25 1892 Glasgow J Hodge (Steel Smelters) ditto 495 225 1,219,934 26 1893 Belfast S Munro (Typographical Association) ditto 380 226 900,000 27 1894 Norwich F Delves (Engineers) S Woods 378 179 1,100,000 28 1895 Cardiff J Jenkins (Shipwrights) ditto 330 170 1,000,000 29 1896 Edinburgh J Mallison (Edinburgh Trades Council) ditto 343 178 1,076,000 30 1897 Birmingham J V Stevens (Tin Plate Workers) ditto 381 180 1,093,191 31 1898 Bristol J O’Grady (Cabinet Makers) ditto 406 188 1,184,241 32 1899 Plymouth W J Vernon (Typographical Association) ditto 384 181 1,200,000 33 1900 Huddersfield W Pickles (House and Ship Painters) ditto 386 184 1,250,000 34 1901 Swansea C W Bowerman (London Compositors) ditto 407 191 1,200,000 35 1902 London W C Steadman (Barge Builders) ditto 485 198 1,400,000 36 1903 Leicester W R Hornidge (Boot and Shoe Operatives) ditto 460 204 1,500,000 37 1904 Leeds R Bell (Railway Servants) ditto 453 212 1,422,518 38 1905 Hanley J Sexton (Dock Labourers) W C Steadman 457 205 1,541,000 39 1906 Liverpool D C Cummings (Boilermakers) ditto 491 226 1,555,000 40 1907 Bath A H Gill (Cotton Spinners) ditto 521 236 1,700,000 41 1908 Nottingham D J Shackleton (Weavers) ditto 522 214 1,777,000 42 1909 Ipswich D J Shackleton (Weavers) ditto 498 219 1,705,000 43 1910 Sheffield J Haslam (Miners) ditto 505 212 1,647,715 44 1911 Newcastle W Mullin (Cotton Spinners) C W Bowerman 523 202 1,662,133 45 1912 Newport W Thorne (Gasworkers) ditto 495 201 2,001,633 46 1913 Manchester W J Davis (Brassworkers) ditto 560 207 2,232,446 47 1915 Bristol J A Seddon (Shop Assistants) ditto 610 215 2,682,357 48 1916 Birmingham H Gosling (Waterman) ditto 673 227 2,850,547 49 1917 Blackpool J Hill (Boilermakers) ditto 679 235 3,082,352 50 1918 Derby J W Ogden (Weavers) ditto 881 262 4,532,085 51 1919 Glasgow G H Stuart-Bunning (Postmen’s Federation) ditto 851 266 5,283,676 52 1920 Portsmouth J H Thomas (Railwaymen) ditto 955 215 6,505,482 53 1921 Cardiff E L Poulton (Boot and Shoe) ditto 810 213 6,417,910 54 1922 Southport R B Walker (Agricultural Workers) ditto 723 206 5,128,648 55 1923 Plymouth J B Williams (Musicians’ Union) Fred Bramley 702 194 4,369,268 56 1924 Hull A A Purcell (Furnishing Trades) ditto 724 203 4,327,235 57 1925 Scarborough A B Swales (Amalgamated Engineering Union) ditto 727 205 4,350,982 58 1926 Bournemouth Arthur Pugh (Iron and Steel Trades Confederation) W M Citrine 696 207 4,365,619 59 1927 Edinburgh George Hicks (Building Trade Workers) ditto 646 204 4,163,994 60 1928 Swansea Ben Turner (Textile Workers’ Union) ditto 621 196 3,874,842
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Section 4: Details of past Congresses
No. Date Venue President General Secretary Delegates Unions Members
61 1929 Belfast B Tillet (Transport Workers) W M Citrine 592 202 3,673,144 62 1930 Nottingham J Beard (Workers’ Union Group, T and GWU) ditto 606 210 3,744,320 63 1931 Bristol Arthur Hayday (General and Municipal Workers) ditto 589 210 3,719,401 64 1932 Newcastle John Bromley (Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) ditto 578 209 3,613,273 65 1933 Brighton A G Walkden (Railway Clerks Association) ditto 566 208 3,367,911 66 1934 Weymouth Andrew Conley (Tailors and Garment Workers) ditto 575 210 3,294,581 67 1935 Margate William Kean (Gold, Silver and Allied Trades) Sir Walter Citrine 575 211 3,388,810 68 1936 Plymouth A A H Findlay (Patternmakers) ditto 603 214 3,614,551 69 1937 Norwich Ernest Bevin (Transport and General Workers) ditto 623 214 4,008,647 70 1938 Blackpool H H Elvin (Clerks and Administrative Workers) ditto 650 216 4,460,617 71 1939 Bridlington J Hallsworth (Distributive and Allied Workers) ditto *490 217 4,669,186 72 1940 Southport William Holmes (Agricultural Workers) ditto 667 223 4,886,711 73 1941 Edinburgh George Gibson (Mental Hospital Workers) ditto 683 223 5,079,094 74 1942 Blackpool Frank Wolstencroft (Woodworkers) ditto 717 232 5,432,644 75 1943 Southport Anne Loughlin (Tailors and Garment Workers) ditto 760 230 6,024,411 76 1944 Blackpool Ebby Edwards (Mineworkers) ditto 730 190 6,642,317 77 1945 Blackpool Ebby Edwards (Mineworkers) ditto 762 191 6,575,654 78 1946 Brighton Charles Dukes (General and Municipal Workers) Vincent Tewson 794 192 6,671,120 79 1947 Southport George W Thompson (Draughtsmen) ditto 837 187 7,540,397 80 1948 Margate Florence Hancock (Transport and General Workers) ditto 859 188 7,791,470 81 1949 Bridlington Sir William Lawther (Mineworkers) ditto 890 187 7,937,091 82 1950 Brighton H L Bullock (General and Municipal Workers) Sir Vincent Tewson 913 186 7,883,355 83 1951 Blackpool A Roberts (Card, Blowing and Ring Room Operatives) ditto 927 186 7,827,945 84 1952 Margate Arthur Deakin (Transport and General Workers) ditto 943 183 8,020,079 85 1953 Douglas T O’Brien, MP (Theatrical and Kine Employees) ditto 954 183 8,088,450 86 1954 Brighton Jack Tanner (Amalgamated Engineering Union) ditto 974 184 8,093,837 87 1955 Southport C J Geddes (Union of Post Office Workers) ditto 984 183 8,106,958 88 1956 Brighton W B Beard (United Patternmakers Association) ditto 1,000 186 8,263,741 89 1957 Blackpool Sir Thomas Williamson (General and Municipal) ditto 995 185 8,304,709 90 1958 Bournemouth Tom Yates (National Union of Seamen) ditto 993 185 8,337,325 91 1959 Blackpool Robert Willis (London Typographical Society) ditto 1,017 186 8,176,252 92 1960 Douglas Claude Bartlett (Health Service Employees) George Woodcock 996 184 8,128,251 93 1961 Portsmouth Edward J Hill (United Society of Boilermakers) ditto 984 183 8,299,393 94 1962 Blackpool Dame Anne Godwin (Clerical Workers) ditto 989 182 8,312,875 95 1963 Brighton Frederick Hayday (General and Municipal Workers) ditto 975 176 8,315,332 96 1964 Blackpool George H Lowthian (Building Trade Workers) ditto 997 175 8,325,790 97 1965 Brighton Lord Collison (Agricultural Workers) ditto 1,013 172 8,771,012 98 1966 Blackpool Joseph O’Hagan (Blastfurnacemen) ditto 1,048 170 8,867,522 99 1967 Brighton Sir Harry Douglass (Iron and Steel Trades) ditto 1,059 169 8,787,282 100 1968 Blackpool Lord Wright (Amalgamated Weavers’ Association) ditto 1,051 160 8,725,604 101 1969 Portsmouth John E Newton (Tailors and Garment Workers) Victor Feather 1,034 155 8,875,381 102 1970 Brighton Sir Sidney Greene (Railway) ditto 1,061 150 9,402,170 103 1971 Blackpool Lord Cooper (General and Municipal Workers) ditto 1,064 142 10,002,204 104 1972 Brighton George Smith (Construction Workers) ditto 1,018 132 9,894,881 105 1973 Blackpool Joseph Crawford (Colliery Overmen, Deputies) Lionel Murray 991 126 10,001,419 106 1974 Brighton Lord Allen (Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) ditto 1,032 109 10,002,224 107 1975 Blackpool Marie Patterson (Transport and General Workers) ditto 1,030 111 10,363,724 108 1976 Brighton Cyril Plant (Inland Revenue Staff Federation) ditto 1,114 113 11,036,326 109 1977 Blackpool Marie Patterson (Transport and General Workers) ditto 1,150 115 11,515,920 110 1978 Brighton David Basnett (General and Municipal Workers) ditto 1,172 112 11,865,390 111 1979 Blackpool Tom Jackson (Post Office Workers) ditto 1,200 112 12,128,078 112 1980 Brighton Terry Parry (Fire Brigades) ditto 1,203 109 12,172,508 113 1981 Blackpool Alan Fisher (Public Employees) ditto 1,188 108 11,601,413 114 1982 Brighton Alan Sapper (Cinematograph and TV Technicians) ditto 1,163 105 11,005,984 115 1983 Blackpool Frank Chapple (Electrical and Plumbing Workers) ditto 1,155 102 10,510,157 116 1984 Brighton Ray Buckton (ASLEF) Norman Willis 1,121 98 10,082,144 117 1985 Blackpool Jack Eccles (General, Municipal and Boilermakers) ditto 1,124 91 9,855,204 118 1986 Brighton Ken Gill (TASS) ditto 1,091 88 9,585,729 119 1987 Blackpool Fred Jarvis (National Union of Teachers) ditto 1,065 87 9,243,297 120 1988 Bournemouth Clive Jenkins (Manufacturing Science Finance) ditto 1,052 83 9,127,278
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Section 4: Details of past Congresses
No. Date Venue President General Secretary Delegates Unions Members
121 1989 Blackpool Tony Christopher (Inland Revenue Staff) Norman Willis 1,006 78 8,652,318 122 1990 Blackpool Ada Maddocks (NALGO) ditto 985 78 8,405,246 123 1991 Glasgow Alec Smith (GMB) ditto 937 74 8,192,664 124 1992 Blackpool Rodney Bickerstaffe (NUPE) ditto 892 72 7,762,469 125 1993 Brighton Alan Tuffin (UCW) John Monks 874 69 7,303,419 126 1994 Blackpool Jimmy Knapp (RMT) ditto 878 68 7,298,262 127 1995 Brighton L Mills (BIFU) ditto 828 67 6,894,604 128 1996 Blackpool Margaret Prosser (TGWU) ditto 821 73 6,790,339 129 1997 Brighton Tony Dubbins (GPMU) ditto 827 75 6,756,544 130 1998 Blackpool John Edmonds (GMB) ditto 811 74 6,638,986 131 1999 Brighton Lord MacKenzie (UNISON) ditto 809 77 6,749,481 132 2000 Glasgow Rita Donaghy OBE (UNISON) ditto 772 76 6,745,907 133 2001 Brighton Bill Morris (TGWU) ditto 766 73 6,722,118 134 2002 Blackpool Sir Tony Young (CWU) ditto 765 70 6,685,353 135 2003 Brighton Nigel de Gruchy (NASUWT) Brendan Barber 783 69 6,672,815 136 2004 Brighton Roger Lyons (Amicus) ditto 723 70 6,423,694 137 2005 Brighton Jeannie Drake (CWU) ditto 727 66 6,452,267 138 2006 Brighton Gloria Mills (UNISON) ditto 742 63 6,463,159 139 2007 Brighton Alison Shepherd (UNISON) ditto 762 59 6,471,030 140 2008 Brighton Dave Prentis (UNISON) ditto 723 58 6,537,545 141 2009 Liverpool Sheila Bearcroft (GMB) ditto 695 61 6,201,359 142 2010 Manchester Dougie Rooney (Unite) ditto 645 57 6,135,126 143 2011 London Michael Leahy (Community) ditto 281 55 6,056,861 144 2012 Brighton Paul Kenny (GMB) ditto 565 53 5,977,178 145 2013 Bournemouth Lesley Mercer (CSP) Frances O’Grady 542 54 5,855,271 146 2014 Liverpool Mohammad Taj (Unite) ditto 533 53 5,786,734
Note: From 1869 to 1884, the figures in the final column of the above table included representatives of Trade Councils, causing some duplication *Actual attendance; credentials were issued to 659 delegates
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Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Section 5: Members of the General Council, 1921–2014
73
Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Names of members of the Parliamentary Committee which Briginshaw, RW: 1965–74 functioned from 1868 to 1921 are included in Reports up to 1976. From 1921 the General Council became the executive Britton, EL: 1970–73 body of the TUC. Dates given below are of the year of the Brooke, C: 1989–95 Congress at which appointment was made to the General Bromley, J: 1921–35 Council, or in the event of election to fill a casual vacancy Brookman, K: 1992–98 the year in which it took place. Brown, J: 1936–45 Abberley, B: 2005–13 Brown, Joanna: 2009–14 Adams, J: 1992–98 Brumwell, G: 1992–2004 Airlie, J: 1990–91 Buck, LW: 1972–76 Alderson, R: 1984 Buckton, RW: 1973–85 Allen, AW: 1962–78 Burke, T: 1993–2002, 2008–14 Allen, J: 1994–95 Burrows, AW: 1947–48 Allen, S: 2000–01 Bussey, EW: 1941–46 Allen, WP: 1940–47 Cameron, K: 1981–83, 1991–99 Anderson, D: 2000–04 Camfield, B: 2000: 06 Anderson, WC: 1965–72 Campbell, J: 1953–57 Auger, L: 2005–07 Callighan, A: 1945–47 Baddeley, W: 1963–72 Cannon, L: 1965–70 Bagnall, GH: 1939–47 Carey, M: 1998–2005 Baird, R: 1987 Carolan, J: 2005–14 Baker, FA: 1976–84 Carr, J: 1989–92 Bartlett, C: 1948–62 Carrigan, D: 2001 Bartlett, J: 2009 Carron, WJ: 1954–67 Basnett, D: 1966–85 Carter, J: 1989–92 Baty, JG: 1947–54 Cartmail, G: 2005–14 Baume, J: 2001–12 Caton, B: 2001–9 Bearcroft, S: 1997–2012 Chadburn, R: 1981 Beard, J: 1921–34 Chalmers, J: 1977–79 Beard, WD: 1947–66 Chapple, FJ: 1971–82 Bell, J: 1937–45 Chester, G: 1937–48 Bell, JN: 1921–22 Chowcat J: 1998 Benstead, J: 1944–47 Christie, L: 1988–92 Berry, H: 1935–37 Christopher, AMG: 1977–88 *Bevin, E: 1925–40 Clancy, M 2012–14 Bickerstaffe, R: 1982–2000 Coldrick, AP: 1968–71 Biggs, J: 1991 Collinridge, F: 1961–62 Binks, G: 1998–2002 Collison, H: 1953–69 Birch, JA: 1949–61 Conley, A: 1921–48 Birch, R: 1975–78 Connolly, C: 1995 Blower, C: 2008–14 Connor, Sir Bill: 1997–2003 Boateng, AF: 1994 Cook, AJ: 1927–31 Boddy, JR: 1978–82 Cookson, B: 2010–14 *Bondfield, M: 1921–23, 1925–29 Cooper, J: 1959–72 Boothman, H: 1921–35 Cooper, T: 1996–99 Bostock, F: 1947 Cortes, M 2012–14 Bothwell, JG: 1963–67 **Cousins, F: 1956–64, 1966–68 Bottini, RN: 1970–77 Covey, D: 1989–98 Bousted, M: 2003–12 Cramp, CT: 1929–32 Bowen, JW: 1921–27 Crawford, J: 1949–32 Bowman, J: 1946–49 Crawford, Joseph: 1960–72 Boyd, JM: 1967–74, 1978–81 Crow, R: 2003–04, 2006, 2010–14 Brett, WH: 1989–97 Curran, K: 2003– 04 74
Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Dale, A 2012–14 Flanagan, L 2012–14 Daly, L: 1971–80 Ford, SWG: 1963–70 Daly, JD: 1983–89 Forden, L: 1958–65 Dann, AC: 1945–52 Forshaw, W: 1933–34 Davenport, J: 1921, 1924–33 Foster, J: 1999–2003 Davies, DG: 1986–96 Foulkes, P: 2006 Davies, ED: 1984 Fysh, M: 2001–10 Davies, DH: 1967–74 Gallagher, G: 2007–09 Davies, O: 1983–86 Gallie, CN: 1940–46 Deakin, A: 1940–54 Garland, R: 1983 Dean, B: 1985–91 Garley, A: 2005–10 Dear, J: 2002–10 Gates, P: 2001, 2003 De Gruchy, N: 1989–2002 Geddes, CJ: 1946–56 Dhamrait, M: 1995–2000 Geldart, J: 1991–94 Dickinson, M: 2009–14 George, E: 1988 Doherty, G: 2004–10 Gibson, A: 1988–99 Donaghy, R: 1987–99 Gibson, G: 1928–47 Donnett, AM: 1973–75 Gilchrist, A: 2000 –04 Doughty, GH: 1968–73 Gill, K: 1974–91 Douglass, H: 1953–66 Gill, WW: 1983–86 Drake, JLP: 1990–2007 Gillan, S: 2010–14 Drain, GA: 1973–82 Gladwin, DO: 1986–89 Dubbins, AD: 1984–2007 Godrich, J: 2003–14 Duffy, D: 1988–91 Godwin, A: 1949–62 Duffy, T: 1978–85 Golding, J: 1986–87 Dukes, C: 1934–46 Gormley, J: 1973–79 Dunn, V: 2001–2002 Gosling, H: 1921–23 Dwyer, P: 1992–94 Graham, JA: 1982–83, 1985 Dyson, F: 1975–78 Grant, J: 2002 Eastwood, H: 1948 Grantham, RA: 1971–74, 1983–91 Eccles, JF: 1973–85 Gray, D: 1982–83 Eccles, T: 1949–58 Green, GF: 1960–62 Edmonds, J: 1986–2002 Greendale, W: 1978–85 Edmondson, LF: 1970–77 Greene, SF: 1957–74 Edward, E: 1931–46 Gretton, S: 1969–72 Ellis, JN: 1988–91 Grieve, CD: 1973–82 Elsom, R: 1996–97 Griffiths, AE: 1963–69 Elvin, HH: 1925–39 Guy, G – 2011 Evans, AM: 1977–84 Guy, LG: 1977–82 Evans, D: 1991–99 Hagger, P: 1988–94 Evans, L: 1945–52 Haigh, E: 1982 Evans, RL: 1985–91 Hall, D: 1996–97 Evans, W: 1996–99 Hall, E: 1954–59 Evans, WJ: 1960–62 Hallsworth, J: 1926–46 Exall, M: 2006–12 Hallworth, A: 1955–59 Farthing, WJ: 1935–43 Halpin, A: 1996, 1999, 2001– 08 Fawcett, L: 1940–51 Hammond, EA: 1983–87 Fenelon, B: 1998 Hancock, F: 1935–57 Ferns, S: 2005–14 Handley, RC: 1938–39 Figgins, JB: 1947–52 Hanley, P: 1968–69 Findlay, AAH: 1921–40 Hannett, J: 2004–12 Fisher, AW: 1968–81 Harrison, HN: 1937–47 75
Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Harvey, D: 2008–14 Laird, G: 1979–81 Hawkes, P: 1992–2004 Lambert, DAC: 1984–93 Hayday, A: 1922–36 Landles, P: 1995–2003 Hayday, F: 1950–72 Lascelles, D: 2001–05 Hayes, W: 2002–14 Lawther, W: 1935–53 Haynes, E: 1964–68 Leahy, M: 1999–2014 Henry, J: 1989–90 Lee, P: 1933 Hewitt, H: 1952–63 Lenahan, P: 1991–92 Heywood, WL: 1948–56 Leslie, J: 1925 Hicks, G: 1921–40 Littlewood, TL: 1968–70 Hill, AL: 1955–57 Lloyd, G: 1973–82 Hill, D: 1992 Losinska, K: 1986 Hill, EJ: 1948–64 Loughlin, A: 1929–52 Hill, J: 1921–35 Love, I: 1987–94 Hill, JC: 1958 Lowthian, GH: 1952–72 Hill, S: 1963–67 Lynes, A: 2010–13 Hillon, B: 1987–97 Lyons, CA: 1983–88 Hindle, J: 1930–36 Lyons, J: 1983–90 Hodgson, M: 1936–47 Lyons, R: 1989–2003 Hogarth, W: 1962–72 Macgougan, J: 1970–78 Holloway, P: 1997–2000 MacKenzie, HU (Lord): 1987–99 Holmes, W: 1928–44 Mackney, P: 2002–06 Houghton, D: 1952–59 Macreadie, J: 1987 Howell, FL: 1970–73 Maddocks, A: 1977–90 Hunt, S: 2002–14 Maddocks, WH: 1979–81 Isaacs, GA: 1932–45 Manasseh, L: 2001–14 Jackson, Sir Ken: 1993–2001 Martin, A: 1960–70 Jackson, T: 1967–81 Mather, S: 2013–14 Jarman, C: 1942–46 Mayer, M: 2007–08 Jarvis, FF: 1974–88 McAndrews, A: 1949–54 Jenkins, C: 1974–87 McAvoy, D: 1989–2003 Jennings, K: 2013–14 McCaffrey, F: 2011–14 Jinkinson, A: 1990–95 McCall, W: 1984–88 Johnson, A: 1993–94 McCarthy, CP– 1983–84 Jones, J: 1934–38 McCarthy, P: 2011–14 Jones, JL: 1968–77 McCluskey, L: 2007–14 Jones, JW: 1967–69 McCulloch, L: 2003 Jones, RT: 1946–56 McCullogh, E: 1958–62 Jones, RT: 1921–32 McDermott, JF: 1949–57 Jones, WE: 1950–59 McGahey, M: 1982–85 Jordan, WB: 1986–94 McGarvey, D: 1965–76 Jowett, W: 1986–87 McGonigle, A: 1992 Kaylor, J: 1932–42 McGovern, S: 2010–14 Kean, W: 1921–45 McGrath, H: 1995–98 Kearns, T: 2008–14 McGregor, M: 2004 Keates, C: 2004–14 McGurk, J: 1932 Kelly, J: 2004–07 Mckay, J: 2002–03 Kelly, L: 2004 McKnight, J: 2000–07 Kenny, P: 2000–14 Mercer, L: 2000–14 Keys, WH: 1975–84 Mills, G: 1994–2014 King, J: 1972–74 Mills, LA: 1983–95 Knapp, J: 1983–2000 Moore, JH: 1922–23 76
Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Morgan, B: 1995 Rickhuss, R: 2014 Morgan, G: 1981–89 Ritchie, A: 2005–10 Morris, W: 1988–2002 Rix, M: 2001–2002 Morritt, M: 1989–91 Roberts, A (Sir): 1940–62 Morton, J: 1975–84, 1987–89 Roberts, A: 1967–71 Murnin, H: 1921 Robinson, A: 2011–13 Murphy, S 2012–14 Robinson, SA: 1959–69 Murray, A: 2011–13 Rogers, S: 2002–08 Murray, JG: 1980–82 Rooney, D: 1998–2010 Neal, J: 2007–2010 Rooney, M: 1990–2002 Naesmith, A: 1945–52 Rosser, R: 2000: 2003 Nevin, E: 1985–88 Rown, J: 1921–34 Newman, J: 1990–91 Russell, JG: 1982–86 Newton, JE: 1953–69 Sage, M: 2009–14 Nicholls, D: 2005 Sanders, B: 2007 Nichols, G: 2000–02, 2005–14 Sapper, AL: 1970–83 Nicholas, HR: 1965–66 Saville, E: 2012–14 Nicholson, B: 1983–87 Scanlon, H: 1968–77 Noon, P: 2001–12 Scard, D: 1990–2000 O’Brien, T: 1940–69 Scargill, A: 1980–82, 1986–87 Ogden, JW: 1921–29 Scott, J: 1961 O’Hagen, J: 1953–66 Scrivens, EM: 1982–86 O’Kane, E: 2003 Serwotka, M: 2002–14 Openshaw, R: 1948–56 Sexton, J: 1921 Orrell, B: 1999–2008 Sharp, L: 1957–65 Owen, J: 1948–52 Shaw, A: 1929–38 Page, M: 1988–89 Sheldon, J: 1992–97 Papworth, AF: 1944–48 Shepherd, A: 1995–2012 Parry, T: 1968–80 Sherwood, W: 1934–36 Patterson, CM: 1963–84 Simpson, D: 2002–10 Payne, C: 2008 –09, 2012–14 Sinnott, S: 2005–07 Paynter, W: 1960 Sirs, W: 1975–84 Peel, JA: 1966–72 Skinner, H: 1921–31 Pemberton, S: 1974–81 Slater, JH: 1974–82 Penman, D 2012–14 Slater, JW: 1972–73 Pickering, R: 1985–96 Smillie, R: 1921–36 Pinder, P: 2001–2003 Smith, A: 1921 Pinkney, P: 2014 Smith, AR: 1979–92 Plant, CTH: 1963–75 Smith, E: 2007–14 Poil, T: 2005–14 Smith, GF: 1959–78 Poole, L: 1957–58 Smith, H: 1922–24, 1931 Poulton, EL: 1921–29 Smith, J: 2007–14 Prentis, D: 1996–2014 Smith, LJ: 1980–87 Prime, AM: 1968–76 Smith, P: 1999–2002 Prosser, M: 1985–95 Smith, R: 1957–66 Prudence, J: 1995–99 Smithies, FA: 1983–89 Pugh, A: 1921–35 Snape, L: 2001–14 Purcell, AA: 1921–27 Sonnet, K: 2001–06 Purkiss, B: 1994–99 Spackman, EW– 1945–46 Qualie, M: 1923–25 Spanswick, EAG: 1977–82 Reamsbottom, BA: 1992–2001 Spence, WR: 1931–41 Richards, T: 1925–31 Squance, WJR: 1936–39 77
Members of the General Council, 1921-2014
Stanistreet, M: 2011–14 Weakley, J: 1985, 1987–94 Stanley, BC: 1983–85 Weighell, S: 1975–82 Steele, NJ: 1983–90 Weller, S: 2011–14 Stevens, L: 1983 Whatley, WHP: 1979–85 Stevenson, RB: 1984–89 White, J: 1990–92 Stewart, J: 2011–14 Whyman, JR: 1983, 1985–89 Stott, W: 1936–39 Wilkinson, F: 1993–96 Stuart, P: 2004–14 Williams, A: 1985–91 Swales, AB: 1921–34 Williams, DO: 1983–86 Sweeney, E: 1996–2006 Williams, JB: 1921–24 Sweeney, N: 2013–14 Williams, RW: 1938–46 Swindell, B: 1962–65 Williamson, T: 1947–61 Switzer, B: 1993–97 Willis, R: 1947–64 Symons, E: 1989–95 Wilson, F: 2007–14 Taj, M: 2000–14 Winsett, J: 1986 Talbot, P: 1999–2008 Wolstencroft, F: 1928–48 Tallon, WM: 1957–66 Wood, L: 1979–84 Tami, M: 1999–2000 Wood, W: 1936–37 Tanner, J: 1943–53 Woodhouse, T: 2008–14 Tansley, C 2012–14 Woodley, T: 2003–10 Taylor, S: 2003: 05 Wrack, M: 2006–14 Thomas, JH: 1921, 1925–28 Wright, LT: 1953–67 Thomas, KR: 1977–81 Yates, T: 1947–60 Thomas, P: 1989–91 Young, AI: 1989–2001 Thomson, GW: 1935–47 Thorburn, W: 1990 *Resigned on appointment as Minister of Labour ** Resigned on appointment as Minister of Technology, Thorne, W: 1921–33 1964 Thorneycroft, GB: 1948–52 Thurston, J: 1999–2004 Tiffin, AE: 1955 Tillet, B: 1921–31 Todd, R: 1984–91 Townley, WR: 1930–36 Tuffin, AD: 1982–92 Turner, B: 1921–28 Turner, J: 1921–24 Turner, M: 1981–86 Turner, P: 1981–88 Turner, S: 2011–14 Twomey, M: 1989–96 Urwin, CH: 1969–79 Vannet, M: 1997–2001 Varley, J: 1921–25, 1926–34 Wade, JF: 1983 Walkden, AG: 1921–25 Walker, RB: 1921–27 Walsh, B: 1950, 1957–59 Walsh, J: 2005–10 Ward, B: 1985 Warrillow, E: 1997–1999 Warwick, D: 1989–91 Webber, WJP: 1953–62 78